A Familiar Place: Part II The Founder's Story
by AnneM.Oliver
Summary: Draco & Hermione are teachers at Hogwarts. An excavation of the castle's grounds & artifacts of the founders may bring more trouble than they realize. How will they handle the turmoil? Will they be able to deal with the past & still have a future? Sequel
1. Part I

(All characters belong to JK Rowling)

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(_This is a sequel to the story, A Familiar Place, and takes place a full year after that story ends.)_

A Familiar Place: Part II – The Founder's Story

By

Anne M.Oliver

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**Part I: September**

All by Herself –

Hermione sat in her classroom, all by herself, daydreaming. School was due to start in two weeks. She got back exactly two weeks ago. Draco was due back that coming Friday. She had a lot of work to do, but instead, she sat at her desk, content to stare off into space, and daydream her afternoon away. She had classes to prepare for, a wedding to plan, and a reunion with her fiancé to look forward to, but as previously stated, she was staring off into space, daydreaming, about nothing in particular, and about nothing at all.

Draco and Hermione had spent all of last year apprenticing for teaching positions at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She became a full time instructor just this year. Draco still had one more year of apprenticeship, since it took two years to obtain a Potion Master's License. He would continue teaching under Don Boot's instruction, and then next year, he would take over the position of Potion Master at the school. Draco had been away at school for the past six weeks. She only saw him at the end of June, for one week. She missed him terribly. She wrote to him so often, that he bought her an owl of her own. It was a pretty, little, tawny owl, and she named it Athena.

The Transfiguration classes were all hers this year. Last year she taught in conjunction with Professor McGonagall. This year, she was on her own. Actually, she taught the first and second year classes on her own last year. Transfiguration was a class where she always excelled. Hermione always excelled at all her classes. She always loved all of her classes, and she loved to learn, but she found teaching was even better than learning. She discovered she was made to teach. She loved it more than she thought possible. Each student had a special place in her heart.

All of last year, while under the tutelage of the Headmistress, she learned more about teaching than anyone could ever learn in four years of University. She learned more about Transfiguration from the Professor in one year, than she felt she had learned in seven years at school. Draco had a harder go of it than Hermione. There was still so much about potions that Draco had yet to learn, even though it was always his favourite subject in school. Don Boot, the present Potion Master, taught Draco everything he would need to learn, and more. Don had become one of Draco's best friends, more like a big brother than just a friend. He was his mentor as well as his colleague. Draco had never really had many friends. Being friends was something he lacked until he became one with Hermione. Soon, other friends were made, but all because of her. Hermione laughed at how much Draco talked about Don. She said sometimes she felt 'jealous' of their relationship. Draco told her that now she knew how he felt about her relationship with Ron and Harry.

Ron and Harry were in their second year of Auror training. Ginny, Harry's girlfriend, had gone back to school last year, and graduated just this past June. It was nice having Ginny at Hogwarts last year. Hermione would miss her this year. Overall, last year was a nice quiet change for Hermione. After the year of searching for Horcruxes, and then her eventful eighth year of school, it was such a pleasant surprise to have an uneventful year last year. She and Draco were able to be a normal couple. They were able to enjoy studying, teaching, and all the ordinary things engaged people do. Hermione could only hope this year would go as smoothly.

Last year they had rooms right next to each other in the teacher's wing, so they saw each other as much as a married couple saw each other. They decided to get married as soon as Draco became a full time instructor, which would be next summer. Therefore, their wedding was planned for next June. Draco had argued with the Headmistress that this year they should be able to share quarters, since their wedding was only a year away. The Headmistress said a resounding 'NO', and told Draco that she expected all of her teachers to set examples for the young students in their charge. Draco said that was fine, as they could still come and go as they pleased, since their rooms were right next to each other. That might have been the reason why their rooms were reassigned this year. Draco was in the same room, but the Headmistress moved Hermione down the corridor, at the very end. It was a larger suite, with three rooms. There was a bedroom, a sitting room, a small kitchen and a bath. Draco's room only had a bedroom and a bath. The Headmistress said it would be their shared room when, and only when, they married. Draco did not yet know about the new room assignments. Hermione imagined he would not be thrilled.

Harry and Ginny were planning a wedding for next May. Ginny had originally wanted to have a double wedding with Hermione and Draco, but neither Hermione nor Draco was enthusiastic about that idea. They both wanted a small wedding and preferable one without a million Weasley relatives in attendance. She had ten months to get ready for a wedding. Her parents had moved back to England this past summer. They said they wanted to be closer to their only daughter, and that they wanted to help her plan for her wedding. She did not care the reason, she was just glad they were finally home. Hermione's mother told her ten months was not long enough to plan a wedding. Hermione thought that was ample time. She would no doubt concede to her mother's wishes, and allow her mother to plan any kind of wedding that she wanted. Mrs. Malfoy was intending to help Hermione's mum plan the wedding. They had become quite friendly, which still bothered Hermione for some reason. Hermione gladly handed over the reigns to their mothers. They could plan any kind of wedding they wanted, as long as Hermione and Draco were allowed to attend.

Hermione came back to school earlier than she was required to, but only because she missed Hogwarts. She had spent most of the summer helping her parents to move back to England. They had to buy a new house, and re-establish their dental practice. With Draco still gone, she saw no reason to stay at home with her parents, now that they were finally settled. She missed Draco so much, that sometimes it hurt, physically. She missed him more than she thought she would. Hence, the daydreaming. While she was not thinking of anything in particular, she did find his blond head filling her thoughts. She was absentmindedly writing his name repeatedly on a piece of parchment. She was not one of those silly girls who would write anything like "Hermione loves Draco" or "Mrs. Hermione Malfoy". No, Hermione was merely writing the name Draco. Big D, little r, little a, little c and a calligraphy styled 'o'.

She needed him. She had been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately. Every night, at almost the exact same time, she would wake up, and when she woke up, she would always feel apprehensive and afraid, and she did not know why. She was not really having nightmares, at least none that she could recall. Her mum told her she was probably just worrying about school, teaching, and Draco. That could be true. She just wished she could get a decent night sleep before classes started. She was not sure why she felt so scared at night, but she was certain of one thing, she would feel better once Draco was back. The difficulty sleeping started with her return to Hogwarts.

Last night, right at 2:15 pm, she woke up crying. Last night was the worse it had been. She had never woken up crying before. She also started to notice bruises and scratches on her body, with no memories of how they came to be. That morning, she had a deep scratch on the top of her right hand, as well as a bruise on her left hip. She was concerned enough that she had made a point of seeing the Medi-witch. She told Hermione that perhaps she was having night terrors, due to stress, and that she was causing the bruises and scratches to herself. Whatever the reason, Madame Pomfrey gave her a sleeping draught. Hermione would use it tonight, and hoped it would help.

The worse thing was that she often had trouble going back to sleep, due to the feeling of dread and presentiment that hung heavy in her heart. Something deep inside her told her that it was not just worry that had caused these dreams and the feeling of foreboding. Hermione felt it had something to do with the year Harry, Ron and Hermione searched for Horcruxes. She did not know why she thought that, she just did.

She prayed that it was not that, or something worse. She hoped it was due to her nerves over teaching on her own, and her missing her fiancé. She got out a clean piece of parchment and started a letter to Draco. She had not told him anything about her troubles sleeping. There was no reason to worry him, not yet. She started the letter, but then could not even concentrate on that. She could not concentrate on her lesson plans, on reading, or even writing a letter. She had a large package from her mother she could look over. It contained different bridal magazines. She wanted Hermione to read them and send back any articles that seemed interesting to her. No, Hermione decided she could not even concentrate on her upcoming wedding. She stood up and looked out her window. She decided to take a walk. That would be a very nice diversion. She removed her robe, rolled up her shirtsleeves, and left her classroom to take a walk.

Walking in the Sunshine - 

She sighed. She took off her shoes and socks. She was under a tall maple tree, and she sighed again. It was the perfect day for lying outside, in the shade. Hermione laid back, shut her eyes, and soon slumber overtook her. She dreamt she was lying under a maple tree, on a warm August day, and Draco was lying on his side beside her. He began to stroke her bare arm up and down with his fingertips. She opened her eyes, and saw that it was not a dream! Draco was there. She smiled widely. He had not yet noticed that she had opened her eyes. He was watching his own hand go up and down her arms. She shut her eyes again and said, "Oh, Ron, I know we shouldn't, but that feels so good."

He tickled her ribs and she laughed. "Stop!" she implored.

"You better have not been dreaming of the weasel!" he said, as he stopped tickling her and stared down at her beautiful face. She had one eye shut, to block out the sun. The sun, streaking through the shade of the tree, was dancing off her face and in her eyes. "Hello, Granger, have you missed me."

She threw her arms around his shoulders and pulled him down on top of her as her reply. "When did you get here? You weren't due until Friday."

He propped himself back up on his elbow and put his hand on her flat stomach. He leaned down and kissed her. "Do you want me to go away until Friday, because for you, I would?"

"Shut up and kiss me again," she said, and he obliged. He leaned down and kissed her with a long, passionate kiss. He rolled over and brought her down on top of him. She looked at him, as she propped herself up on her arms. "Have you seen our new living arrangements?" she asked.

He sat up with a frown. "I know the old bat didn't go with my suggestion that we share a room. What did she do, put us on different floors, on different wings."

"Close," Hermione laughed.

"Damn, her. What is she, like a 75 year old virgin?" Draco stood up and reached down to help Hermione stand. She bent down and got her shoes and socks. He picked up his bag and satchel and they started back into the castle. He held her right hand and he felt the scratch on the top. "How did you hurt your hand?" he asked.

Ignoring him, Hermione asked, "How did you know I was out here?"

"I didn't," he admitted, "I was heading toward the castle and I saw you. Why are you napping outside? Don't you have lessons to plan for?" he asked, swinging her arm.

"I have all my lessons planned for the whole year," she lied. It was almost the truth. She had them planned until December. He, however, believed her.

"You are one studious teacher, aren't you, little one?" he joked.

"I try, now tell me, why you are back early?" she asked.

He yawned and said, "I didn't have to take any of my exams, because I received all 'Outstandings' in all my courses. You aren't the only smart one, you know. Therefore, I got back a few days early. I stopped by and saw my mother first, and then came back here."

They walked in the front doors, and Hermione said, "Your boyfriend Don isn't back yet."

"Damn, I will just have to visit with you until he gets back," Draco said seriously.

They walked up to Draco's room, and he threw his things on the floor, and plopped on his bed. His trunk had already been delivered to his room. "Aren't you going to unpack?" Hermione asked, standing in the middle of his room.

"It can wait," he said, shutting his eyes.

"Won't you be able to relax better, knowing that it's done?" she asked, looking around.

"I'm relaxing fine, however, I know you won't be able to relax until I'm unpacked, so make yourself happy and unpack for me," he said, looking up at her.

She gave him a frown, but knew he was right. She opened his trunk and started hanging his clothes up in his wardrobe. He got off the bed and started to help. "I wouldn't really make you do it on your own," he laughed.

"Yes you would," she replied. As she was hanging up his shirts, he noticed her hand again. He took her hand in his.

"Tell me how you got this nasty scratch," he asked again.

"I honestly don't know. I woke up and it was there this morning," she answered truthfully.

"That's odd," he said.

"Yes, I have several bruises, too. Some are a couple weeks old, and some new ones, look," she said. She lifted her khaki skirt slightly and showed him the large purple bruise on her hip.

"Goodness, Granger, is someone beating you?" he asked, as he gingerly touched the bruise. "Where are the other bruises?"

"Here and there," she said lightly, "I saw Madame Pomfrey. She said that I must have been inflicting them to myself at night. I have been having a lot of trouble sleeping, and she said I might be having night terrors. Too much stress and worry."

"Why are you stressed and worried?" he asked, bringing his arms around her.

"School, the wedding, you being away, take your pick. I just know things will be better now that you are back," she said, looking up at him and smiling. "Oh, did you hear, Neville is coming back to do an apprenticeship with Professor Sprout. He completed a full year of schooling and now he is coming back here to study for a year. It will be like old times."

"Lord, he's probably going to be in your old room, right next to mine," he said dryly.

Hermione laughed and said, "He is, actually. You can sneak out at night and visit him, like you used to with me."

Draco shuddered as a response. He said, "One boyfriend is enough for me." Then he said, "Let's get back to your problem. How long has this been going on, little one?"

"Since I got back to Hogwarts," she explained, "but really, it's not that big of a thing, so don't worry." She bent down to take a pair of shoes out of his trunk and she saw a rather large wrapped present. "Is this a present for Don?" she joked.

"If you want it, you can have it, if not, yes, it's for him," he said, taking the shoes she dropped and putting them in the bottom of the wardrobe.

She sat on his bed, and he sat beside her. She unwrapped the gift and looked in the box. It was a book. A very old, ancient looking text. A book on the four founders of Hogwarts. "Wow, this is nice, and it looks really old." She turned the large book around carefully. "This is perfect, thank you," and she leaned over and kissed his lips. "Did you know that Professor McWhorter was supervising an archeological site right here on the grounds, and she thinks she's found some artifacts that date back to the founders. I have been helping, so really, this might be very helpful."

He stood up and started to put his things away again. "Yes, I have to admit that my boyfriend, Don, mentioned it to me in a letter, so I thought you would like this book. I stole it, by the way."

Hermione put the large tome down and said, "Stole it? From where?'

"The library at the Manor," he said plainly.

"That's not really stealing, is it?" she said, bending down to help him.

"I guess not, I just liked the way that sounded. I stole something. I have to keep my bad boy image up, you know," he said.

"Especially since you are homosexual now," she said with a croaked grin.

"I'll show you how much of a homosexual I am," he said as he rushed her and picked her up by the waist and threw her on the bed.

He put the full weight of his body on hers and his hands went up to capture her face; he kissed her, and then looked at her and said, "Say you are sorry for questioning my manhood."

"I wasn't questioning it. I think I was saying explicitly that you are now gay and in love with Don Boot, and that's no reason to be ashamed," she said, laughing. He kissed her again, and put his thigh between her legs. He kissed her neck, as one hand went under her shirt.

He brought his mouth up to her neck and said, "I've missed you so much. I've missed your smile, your terrible sense of humour, you intellect, and your body." He pushed her bra up with his hand and rubbed her breasts, as he kissed her face, neck and lips. There was a knock at the door.

Books, Quills, Cups and things -

"Just be quiet and they will go away," Draco said, kissing her ear.

"Get off, Draco," she implored, trying to push at him.

A voice outside in the hall said, "Draco, are you in there?" It was Don.

"Maybe Don would like to join us," Hermione said with an evil grin.

"You would be shocked if I had suggested that, you sick pervert," Draco said, standing up and answering the door. He barely gave Hermione time to straighten herself up.

Don came in, saw Hermione on the bed, and laughed as he said, "Sorry to interrupt. I did not know Hermione was here. I just got back and wanted to say hello." He came and sat on the bed and gave Hermione a small kiss on the cheek. He said to Hermione, "I hear the board of Governors of the school has finally given Davina McWhorter permission to start her archeological dig here on the school grounds. A little birdie also told me that you have been helping, my dear sweet, Hermione."

"What else has your little birdie told you?" she asked Don with a smile.

"That my brother Paul is coming to Hogwarts this year, because he is somewhat of an expert, or rather a historian, when it comes to the founders. He will be assisting with the dig, and maintaining the integrity of the site. He came back with me. I don't know if you remember him. He's anxious to meet with you, since you are working with them."

He got off the bed and said, "Why don't you and Draco join Paul and me for dinner at the Three Broomsticks about 5:00 this afternoon?"

"Draco, I would like that, how about you?" Hermione asked, looking at Draco.

"A man's got to eat, so fine," he said, putting some books on his shelf.

Don said, "Great, see you there," and he left the room.

Hermione ran out of the room, without a backwards glance or as much as a goodbye. Draco was used to her eccentric ways, so he merely finished folding a sweater he had in his hands and walked out his room, to see where she was heading. He walked down the hallway, to the very last room. He could only assume it was her new room, since the door was opened.

"Granger?" he said, leaning in the doorway.

"I'm in the bedroom," she said.

"Why did the Headmistress give you the larger suite, and not me? This is rather nice," he said, throwing his body across the couch in the main room.

"Look, I wanted you to see something that we found at the dig site. Davina wanted me to work on deciphering the runes on the handle," she explained, as she handed him a long pewter cylinder that had strange markings upon it.

"She's the Ancient Runes Professor, she should be doing the deciphering," Draco said, examining the piece and handing it back to her, adding, "These runes aren't familiar to me."

"That's the thing, some are familiar, and some aren't. If this piece is from the founders' days, than it's over a thousand years old. This is the first piece she found since she was allowed to start the excavation. She thinks it might be a holder for a quill. She gave it to me on my first day back, and I've been working on it ever since," Hermione said, holding the piece gently.

"Fascinating," Draco said with a yawn.

She gave him a scathing look and said, "It is fascinating."

"Great, now all your attention will be on this stupid archeology site, and I will have to fight for your attention all year," Draco complained, sitting up.

"I have the ability to do more than one thing at a time," she lectured, putting the pewter artifact back into a small velvet sleeve. She put it back in her bedroom and said, "Besides, I am sure you will be fascinated by the dig, and will want to help."

He laughed and stood up. "I'm sure I won't. I don't like old things. They're old. I only like new things. Bright, shiny, new. Come now, Granger, help me finish unpacking so we can go snog a bit before dinner."

He started to take her hand and she said, "I want to go down to the site for an hour or so. Now that I know someone else is coming on board, an expert of sort, I'm all happy and tingling inside."

Draco smirked and said, "I could make you all happy and tingling inside and outside."

"I'm sure. I'll see you before dinner," and she started out the room.

He walked down the hallway with her and said, "I haven't seen you for six weeks, and you leave me to dig in the dirt?"

"Come with me, please. At least come see where it is. Professor McWhorter believes it to be the site of the original castle. The one that the founders lived and taught in while Hogwarts was being built. It's not far. It's just over the hillside, past the lake," she said, taking his hand.

"Can we fly there on a broom? I don't want to spend an hour walking," he grimaced.

"Even if the hour is spent with me?" she said bashfully.

He sighed and said, "Fine, let's walk, but every fifteen minutes I must have a kiss to strengthen my fortitude."

She rolled her eyes. "You are so strange," she remarked. He laughed, because he was thinking the same thing about her.


	2. Part II

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

**Part II:**

History Lesson -

Hermione and Draco arrived at the dig site, and Don and Paul Boot were already there. Where Don Boot had fair hair and eyes, like his younger brother Terry had, Paul had very dark hair. His eyes were dark blue. His hair was very short. Hermione thought he was very good looking. She felt as if she knew him, even though she had only met him 'as a man' twice, once at Terry's funeral, and one other time. She had met him several more times in his animagus form. Draco walked up and shook both men's hands. Paul and Hermione seemed guarded with each other, both just nodding to each other, as Draco and Don started talking to Professor McWhorter.

Paul walked up to her and said, "This is odd. I feel like I know you so well, from all the times that my brothers and I guarded you, as wolves, but yet, I really don't know you at all."

"I feel the same," Hermione said.

"Well, let's get acquainted. I'm Paul Boot. I was next to Terry in age, who was the baby. I'm 24 years old, and I recently graduated with a degree in Magical History. I'm working for the Ministry, and I will be the administrator of this site, making sure all artifacts are categorized and tagged and accounted for, protecting the integrity of the excavation. So, tell me something I don't know about you," he laughed.

"I'm soon to be 21, next month, I'm the Transfiguration teacher here, and I'm engaged to Draco Malfoy. I'm an only child, I'm Muggle-born, and my parents are dentist. I have one of the first artifacts uncovered in my room now, just wanted to be honest with you about that. Oh, and I'm best friends with Harry Potter," she said, smiling.

Paul stated, "I think everyone knows that, and I know about the item you are working on, Davina already told me. I'm happy to finally really meet you, under better circumstances."

"So, Paul, tell me what you know about the founders," Hermione asked. He sat down in the grass and she joined him.

He said, "Do you really want to know. It might take a while."

She nodded, so he began, "Over a thousand years ago, a young wizard named Godric Gryffindor was traveling from the Moors of the West Country. His land was at war, and he had been fighting along with his clan, until it was discovered that he had magical abilities. When the people of his village found this out, they killed his family, and he ran away in the dead of night. During his travels, he came upon a wizard named Salazar Slytherin. He told Godric that his family was forced from their land by Muggles, and they had decided to leave England, and to go back to Portugal, where they originated. He refused to leave England, so he stayed behind. They traveled together, and Gryffindor confided to Slytherin that his fondest wish was to make a school where witches and wizards would be safe from tyranny, and would be able to learn with others like them. He also said he wanted to make a village, where magical families could live with other magical families, and be safe and protected from outsiders. Slytherin thought that was a wonderful idea, and asked to join him."

"They traveled through Wales and they came upon a farm, where the wealthy landowners let them stay for a while. Godric became friends with their youngest daughter, a beautiful, sweet girl, with long strawberry blonde hair, and a pretty round face. Her name was Helga Hufflepuff. They became best friends, not romantic, more like brother and sister, like you and Harry Potter. He soon found she had magical abilities as well. While Godric and Helga became fast friends, Helga and Salazar fought constantly. It appeared to everyone that Helga and Salazar hated each other. Godric loved them both, so it was hard on him, the fact that they appeared not to like each other. They were like oil and water. Helga, who had lived an ideal life, without the maltreatment that Salazar and Godric had known, did not hate Muggles, and that was what the two fought about the most. It's unknown if her whole family was magical, but we believe they were."

"Because, unlike Godric's village, Helga's whole village was magical. He told her how he wanted to form a village for magical people, where they could live without fear of persecution. She shared with him her dream of forming a school to teach magic to all children who were witches or wizards, and like him, where they could be free to learn without fear. Godric couldn't believe that someone else had the same dream he had. They decided to make their dreams come true, so they left Helga's village, in search of a place to form their school. Somewhere along the journey, Slytherin left the pair. It's unknown why. Perhaps they were already fighting about whom to admit to their school. We may never know."

"Godric and Helga were searching for the perfect spot for their magical village and school, when they came upon a beautiful, dark haired girl. She was half beaten, and had been tortured. She told them her name was Rowena Ravenclaw, and that she had traveled far from her home in northern Scotland. Her village, a non-magical village, had been burned to the ground, and all her family were dead, just because it was discovered that she was a witch. This was the middle ages, and all magic was deemed dark. Magic was blamed for everything bad in those days, from the plague to hunger and famine. The pair found she was smarter than either of them by far, and her beauty was great. Godric fell in love with the dark maiden, and Helga became her best friend."

"By this time, several years had gone by, and they had many followers, all of them magical, who wanted to help them form their school. When they found this area, here at Hogwarts, they knew right away that it was a holder of old, sacred magic. They knew they found the place for their school, but it wasn't easy to hold onto this land. There were evil wizards, twelve in all, all brothers, called the Darians, and they considered this land around our present castle theirs. The three friends wanted to share the land with the brothers. The brothers had different plans. The oldest brother lusted after Helga. He told them he would trade a portion of the land for her. Of course, there was no negotiation. When his offer was refused, he decided to kill the other two young founders, along with all of their earlier followers, and to take Helga for his own. They soon found themselves in a battle with the Darians. They fought for days. Dueling with wands and swords alike. Helga was wounded, almost mortally. In fact, the eldest Darian went to retrieve her body. He was going to take her for his own, and use the abduction as an example to the other land poachers, to show them that the dark magic of the Darians was more powerful. Rowena and Godric were beside themselves with worry."

"The oldest Darian brother took Helga, who was close to death, deep into a cave, high up in the hills. He left her body there to finish the battle. Unknown to the Darians, there was another wizard, one from the Marshlands of Eastern England, who had heard of the battle between the founders, their followers, and these dark wizards. He had traveled a long way to find them, when he came upon the battle. He followed the Darian who had taken Helga to the cave. He went in the cave and saw that she was near death. Even in her weakened state, she knew it was Salazar. She knew he came to save her. He healed her wounds the best he could."

"When she felt strong enough to leave the cave, she tried to convince Salazar that they had to go join the battle for the land. She was afraid for the lives of Rowena and Godric. He told her he would take her back, as soon as he killed the Darian who kidnapped her. He would not be swayed. He would not leave until this man was dead. When the Darian came back to the cave to collect his bounty, Salazar killed the wizard, and he took the Darian's wand. This wand connected the evil wizard with his eleven brothers. It made Salazar very powerful. He and Helga returned to the battlefield, and they were able to help kill all of the other Darians. Helga introduced Salazar to Rowena, and to their other followers. The four became close and fast friends. The rest, as they say, is history."

Hermione sat listening to Paul's story in awe. She had never heard that story before. Most everyone had heard about the founding of the school, and about where the four came from, about their physical attributes, and capabilities, and the fact that Salazar had a parting with the other three. However, she had never heard that particular part of the story.

"How do you know all of this, and why isn't this taught in school?" she asked.

"We learn more and more every year. Something will become uncovered, an ancient text or scroll, an artifact, and we add more to the story. I hope this excavation will fill in even more holes to our story. Help us understand who the founders really were. We know the most about Godric, because he did finally form his magical village, of Godric's Hollow. There's a lot of his history that is known because of that. Most of what I've just told you came from his journals, which were uncovered almost 100 years ago. Less is known of the other three, besides what we learn from Godric's relics. That's why this is so fascinating, you know?" Paul said, enthusiastically. Hermione felt like she found a kindred spirit in Paul.

Draco and Don had been listening to the story. Draco came up and said, "Shall we start back?" and he held his hand out for Hermione. Hermione took Draco's offered hand, and stood up to follow. Paul stood up with the help of his brother. Soon the four were walking back toward the school. Don and Paul soon walked far enough ahead, that Draco said, "He seems like a very nice fellow."

"I think so, and he's very good looking," Hermione said, with a sly smile.

"If you like the tall, dark, handsome type," Draco said.

Hermione said, "Good thing I like the tall, pale, blond, handsome type."

"Yes, good thing," Draco agreed, kissing her hand.

They reached the castle, and changed for dinner. After dinner in the village with Paul and Don, Hermione and Draco decided to take a walk around the lake. She said, "Did I ever tell you about what happened to Helga Hufflepuff's cup, the Horcrux that I destroyed?"

Hermione's tale -

It was still light out, even though it was after 8 pm. Hermione and Draco sat beside the lake. It was very warm, so Hermione took off her shoes and socks, just as she had earlier. She waded her feet in the cool water. Draco came up and sat behind her, with his legs on each side of her body. She leaned against his chest. He said, "Tell me your tale."

"We had just gotten back to Hogwarts and it was right before the final battle. We had stolen Helga's cup from your aunt's vault. I already have told you all of that, so no need to go over that again," she said. He did not want to hear it again either, because that was right after they were captured and taken to the Manor. Right after his aunt tortured Hermione under the Crucio curse.

"Well," she started, "When we got back to the school, Harry knew he had to find the Ravenclaw Horcrux. He didn't yet know what it was. He and Luna had gone to Ravenclaw tower to look for clues as to what it might be. Ron and I decided to put our time to good use, so we decided to try to find a way to destroy the cup. The sword had been stolen, so we couldn't destroy the cup that way. Ron remembered that the Diary Horcrux was destroyed with the Basilisk venom, and he thought that perhaps it could destroy the cup as well. We went to the Chamber of Secrets, Ron remembered the way Harry had opened the chamber, and repeated the hisses Harry had used. We entered the chamber and went down to search for the fangs. We found some, and we were going to take them up with us, and destroy the cup after we found the Ravenclaw Horcrux. Destroy them both together."

"Then Ron decided that since Harry had destroyed the Diary, and he had destroyed the locket, perhaps I should destroy the cup. I was afraid. I knew Ron and Harry saw terrible things when they destroyed the other Horcruxes, but I thought Ron was right, I should destroy the cup." Hermione moved her body from in between Draco's legs, so she could sit beside his body and see his face. He held her hand.

"I took one of the fangs, and I raised it above my head, to pierce the cup. Suddenly, the figure of Tom Riddle, not Voldemort, but Tom Riddle, appeared. He told me that he was a half blood, and he did not think Muggle-borns were beneath him. He told me that people like him and I were the ones who deserved their magic, not purebloods. He told me I should kill Ron, because he was a pureblood, and all purebloods wanted my kind dead. He said all Death Eaters were purebloods. He said, likewise, all purebloods were Death Eaters." Hermione was speaking in such hushed tones that Draco was having trouble hearing her. She bent her head down, and he touched her cheek.

"Continue," he urged.

She started to cry. "It was saying things that made sense to me. It had me convinced that Harry and Ron were my enemies, and that he was my only friend. I could hear Ron screaming at me to do it, not to listen to anything Tom Riddle said to me, to remember that he and Harry loved me. I was close to giving in, I almost wasn't going to destroy it. I thought it was right. I thought Tom Riddle was right. I turned to Ron, and I felt such hate for him, that I wanted him dead. Evilness entered me, that's the only way I can explain it. I walked up to Ron, and he took out his wand and said, 'No, Hermione, I love you'. Tom Riddle said, 'He lies, Hermione. He drew his wand to kill you. Kill the blood traitor, before he kills you.' I turned to Tom Riddle and I said, 'You lie, you hate Mudbloods', and he said, 'No, Harry Potter lied to you. I've never felt that way', and then he said, 'Take the fang and pierce your hand, and join me for all of eternity'." Hermione was still crying. Draco put his arms around her.

"He wanted me to kill myself. He must have known that I wouldn't kill Ron and Harry, so he wanted me to kill myself. He said things like, 'you will never be good enough', and 'no one in the magic world will ever truly accept you'. He told me that he would accept me. I could be his equal. All I had to do was drive the fang into my hand, and I would join him for all of eternity."

Hermione stood up and reenacted her actions from that night, "I put the fang near my hand, and was about to drive it into my flesh, when I again heard Ron say, 'Hermione, Harry and I love you, please, we will die if you die.' That did it. I didn't want Harry and Ron to die, so I took the fang and drove it into the cup. It was as if the cup wasn't made of metal. It was as if it was Tom Riddle's flesh. I saw the Tom Riddle from the cup vanish from my view with a piercing scream, and the piece of his soul that was in the cup was ripped from the metal. The magic was broken. A dark liquid flowed from the cup, which almost resembled blood. I collapsed crying, and Ron came up and picked me up and we ran back upstairs."

"What did you do with the cup?" Draco asked.

"Ron picked it up and took it upstairs with us. After the final battle, Harry didn't want it, and he said he was afraid if it got in the wrong hands, someone might try to bring back Voldemort somehow. He still didn't trust the Ministry, so he didn't want to give it to them. Therefore, he kept the locket, and he gave me the cup. I have it to this day."

"I didn't know you had it," Draco said, "You are so brave. I'm so proud of you," and he held her close, as she started crying again.

"I don't want the cup anymore. Do you think I should hand it over to Paul Boot?" she asked, parting from Draco's arms.

"Yes, I think you should. I don't think you should keep it. Even though the part of the Dark Lord's soul that was in the cup was released, I just don't think you should keep it. I don't trust any dark objects. I grew up in Malfoy Manor, and I've seen too many dark objects and too much dark magic in my life, not to be afraid," Draco amended. Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Let's go back inside, Draco, I need a long bath, and I need to get to bed early. I'm so tired. I hope to take the sleeping draught tonight, so I can finally get a good nights sleep," Hermione said, standing. He stood beside her.

"I will stay in your room with you tonight," he said, and she started to protest, but he said, "If you are truly tired, I will sleep on the couch. I just want to make sure you get some sleep too, okay?" He held her hand and they walked back into the castle.

No Sleep for Draco -

Hermione drew a hot bath. Draco took a shower in his bathroom, put on some lounge pants and a white t-shirt, and walked down to her room. Their rooms were password protected. Her password was "Snow White". He didn't know what that meant, but he felt stupid saying it. He entered her room. He heard the water running. The bathroom was off the bedroom and the door was opened slightly. She removed her towel and stepped in the hot water. He watched her enter the tub, and then knocked on the door.

"Hermione, I'm here. Can I come in there with you?" he asked her from the other room.

"Come in," she said, sinking lower in the tub. He came up and sat on the side of the tub. He took a large sponge and without asking permission, he started to wash her back, in a small circular motion. She said, "That feels so good."

As he continued to wash her back and shoulders, and she started washing her hair. He took a cup and rinsed it for her. The whole time he was washing her body, he was looking for bruises. He counted five on her back, as well as two scratches. He wondered how she would be able to bruise and scratch her own back. As he watched her wash her hair, he saw three bruises on her left arm, and two on her right, as well as what looked like nail marks on her wrist, which he had not notice earlier that day. As he rinsed her hair, he moved to sit in front of her and saw a bruise above her right breast, and one on her collarbone. He looked down, and through the water, he saw numerous bruises and scratches on her legs. After washing, she leaned back against the end of the tub, and closed her eyes. She didn't even see him strip out of his clothes. She only opened her eyes when he climbed in behind her, moving her body so she was sitting in front of him. He pulled her on his lap and started kissing the side of her neck and her face.

He was overwhelmed with his love for her. He was also overwhelmed with worry. What was going on with her? Why did her body look so bruised and battered? Had some form of dark magic already taken control of her? Hermione shifted so she was facing him, with her legs straddling his hips. He kissed her mouth; it was a thirst he needed quenched. She leaned her head back, and his mouth traveled to her breasts. He kissed her breasts, but then he suddenly lifted her off his lap. He stood up, wrapped a towel around his waist, as she sat confused in the tub. He stepped out of the tub, and lifted her body. Without wrapping a towel around her, he stepped with her into the bedroom, and put her on the waiting bed.

He pulled off his towel and said, "I've missed you so much. I've dreamt of making love to you each night we were apart." He kissed her again, as his hands roamed her body. Her hands traveled up and down his back. His mouth traveled down her body, which was still wet from her bath. He didn't need any coaxing, he knew what he wanted and he knew what she needed. He entered her swiftly and they continued making love. It was his belief that he loved her more each time they made love, for each time was better than the last.

After their lovemaking subsided, she asked Draco to go get her a nightgown. He went and retrieved his clothes first, put them on and then went to her dresser and picked out a gown that was short, white cotton, with little pink flowers on the front, near the buttons. Hermione sat up in bed and lifted her arms, as if she knew he would just slip it on her body. He slipped it over her head, and then went to her dresser and picked up her comb. He laughed and said, "You should comb that hair now, or it might scare people tomorrow." She smiled and took the comb from him, and then hit him on the arm. She started to comb her hair, as he grabbed the book he gave her, the one of the four founders, and started to read. She sat on the edge of the bed and took the sleeping draught, and then a drink of water.

"Will my reading disturb you?" he asked.

"I hope not. Hopefully, nothing will disturb me," she said, fluffing her pillow, and pulling the sheet over her body. She said, "If I wake up around 2:15, then we will know that the stupid sleep draught isn't working." She closed her eyes, felt him lean over, and give her a kiss. Soon, she was sleeping.

Draco felt tired finally, and put the book down. The clock on the dresser said 12:40 am. He looked over at Hermione, who had not moved a muscle since she first laid down. He reclined beside her, pulled her body to his, and closed his eyes. The sleeping draught had worked.

A terrible scream left her lips, one of which he had never heard from her before. He sat upright in bed, and she was already sitting up. She was crying hysterically. He tried to put his arms around her and she started hitting him. He was forced to get out of the bed, as he watched her sit there and cry. He shouted, "What happened? Was it a bad dream?"

She didn't answer, she merely kept crying. He got down on his knees on the bed, beside her and finally, she let him pull her into his arms. He looked over at the clock. It was 2:13 am. "It's okay, you're safe, I'm here," he said, in soft tones. He hushed her crying, with sweet cooing noises. Finally, she stopped crying.

"This was the worse night so far, it's never been this bad," she said, trying to stop her crying by taking deep breaths.

"Do you remember anything? Do you recall having a bad dream?" he asked, still very concerned.

"No, I don't remember anything, I never do. I just remember being scared," she cried. He sat beside her and pulled her over to his lap. He saw what looked like finger marks on both of her arms. Small, round bruises were forming on both forearms. Bruises that were not there last night, when he helped her bathe.

He said, "Do you want to go to the hospital wing?" She told him no. He didn't know what else to ask. He didn't know what else to do. He hadn't felt this helpless in so long. Every time in his past he had felt like this, helpless, involved Hermione Granger. He felt helpless when he was 17, and the Death Eaters brought her, Potter and Weasley to his house. He felt helpless when his aunt tortured her, and threatened to turn her over to that werewolf. He felt helpless the next year when they came back to school and she was harassed with threatening notes, and her life was in danger by Professors Stephens and Mankin. He felt helpless when he thought she laid dead in a small stone cell. He just felt vulnerable, weak, and defenseless. He didn't like that feeling, not where she was concerned. He loved her too much. He loved her so much, that her pain was his pain. When she hurt, he hurt. If some unknown, dark magic was hurting her, than he did not want to feel helpless. He couldn't be helpless when it concerned her. He didn't want to be that way any longer. He asked again, "Do you want me to take you to see Madame Pomfrey?"

She never answered him. Instead, she went back to sleep, due to his involuntary rocking back and forth. He wasn't even aware he was rocking her back to sleep, but he was. It was more to comfort himself, than to comfort her. When he was certain she was in a deep sleep, he put her body back on the bed, and he sat beside her and watched her all night. There would be no sleeping for Draco Malfoy that night, none at all.


	3. Part III

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

**Part III:**

One Week with no sleep -

While Hermione had been having difficulty sleeping for three weeks now, Draco had not been able to sleep for only a week. He could not sleep because he was staying each night in Hermione's room, and she woke him up every night, at or around 2:15 am. He finally confided in Don Boot. Don was very concerned. Hermione did not want anyone to know, so Don did not tell anyone, yet.

Hermione had joined Paul and Davina at the excavation site each day. The Headmistress decided that since this was such an important project, she would continue to teach the fifth and seventh year Transfiguration classes, (The OWL and NEWT level classes),leaving Hermione to teach the other classes. That way, Hermione would have more free time to help with the dig. The Headmistress also decided that once school started, the sixth and seventh year Ancient Runes students would be allowed to help.

So far, they had found the foundation of the original castle. The original castle was nowhere near as large as the present castle; however, it was still very large. The archeologist who were working with the school staff had begun to use wooden pegs and ropes to map out where the rooms and chambers would be, that way, when they started to dig, they would know from which part of the castles the artifacts came.

Hermione was working in a tent on site, still trying to decipher the runes on the pewter cylinder. She came running out of the tent that afternoon, happy and exuberant. "Paul, I think I have this deciphered!" He ran into her tent with her. She said, "This symbol here, it's the one that gave me the most trouble, but I know what it means. It is the symbol for Helga Hufflepuff. I know it is. There is a symbol just like it on her cup. I always thought it was just an elaborate design, but it makes sense." He looked at her piece of parchment, where she had meticulously copied each symbol and had written the meaning underneath, and then he looked at the cup, which was sitting on the table. "I think the founders used symbols of their own creation, along with the runes we know of, so that Muggles could not translate their writings, and therefore know their secrets," Hermione deduced.

"I think you're right, Hermione. Now we have tangible proof that this was something that belonged to one of the founders, although I don't think it was used to hold a quill, do you?" Paul asked.

"No, I don't think so. It has small holes on it, which perhaps a leather strap went through. I think it was used to carry or hold something, but not quills, for it's too large," Hermione concluded.

"Let me record your findings in my journal, may I sit here at your table?" Paul inquired.

"Yes, I need to get some air, for it's so hot in here," she said, happily obliging him. She walked out of her tent to see Draco walking down over the hill. He waved at her and she ran up the hill to meet him.

"Draco, I've discovered what the runes on the cylinder mean. It belonged to Hufflepuff," she said, happily.

He did not seem as happy as she did, and he said, "Does that mean you won't have to bring it into your room every night now."

"Well, I guess not. Paul will probably want to lock it up at the castle, along with the cup, why?" she asked.

He did not want to tell her that he thought the source of her dreams and night terrors was because of that relic, because she would scoff at the idea, so he just shrugged as a response. He said, "How much longer are you planning on being here today?"

"All day, probably. They think they have found the main room of the castle, and they have already found several items today. I want to help," she told him. "Is something wrong? How about if I promise that I will be all yours tomorrow. Just think, a whole Saturday, just you and me," she smiled at him.

He said, "Fine," with a bit of bile. He did not like how much time she was spending there. He was not happy that she would be spending even more time there once classes began, since the stupid old bat Headmistress took two of her classes from her. "I'm going back up to the castle, since you don't have time for me," he complained, as he started walking back up the hill.

Hermione stood and watched him start to walk away, and said, "Draco, wait, are you angry?"

"No, I'm tired, Hermione!" he snapped, "Just like you, I haven't been getting any sleep!"

"No one said you had to spend each night with me. Sleep in your own bed tonight, but don't snap at me, and don't blame me." She turned on her heels and started to walk away.

He ran up and grabbed her arm, "What will it take for you to abandon this project? I don't like how much time you are spending on it, and I think there's dark magic associated with it, and that is the source of your nightmares," he shouted at her. Soon, people from the site turned to look at the source of the shouting.

She said, "Not so loud, Draco! Anyway, that's stupid. There's no black magic. I'm just stressed, and you're not helping any. Just go back to the castle and stop behaving like a spoiled brat," and she turned to walk back down the hill. He sat down on the ground, and decided not to move a muscle, until she apologized.

"I'll be right here when you decide to apologize for calling me a spoiled brat, Granger!" he bellowed.

She shook her head and said nothing to him in response, however, once out of his earshot she said, "Spoiled brat."

After an hour, Draco had fallen asleep right on the hill. He needed some sleep. He awoke to someone shaking his arm. He looked up, and it was Hermione, kneeling beside his body, offering him a butterbeer and a sandwich. She said, "I cast a shadow charm over you, so you wouldn't get sunburn."

"I won't say 'Thank you' until you apologize for calling me a spoiled brat," he said, taking the food she offered.

"And that proves you are a spoiled brat," she countered. She came to sit beside him. She wasn't going to apologize. They both ate in silence. When they finished, he vanished their bottles and napkins.

He picked up a blade of grass and stroked it with his fingers. She watched him closely. He took the grass and tickled her cheek with it. She couldn't help but smile. He smiled back. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, where the blade of grass had been. She took the piece of grass from his hand and tossed it aside. She sighed loudly and fell backwards on the soft ground. He leaned down and stared in her eyes. "Are you tired? Are you taking on too much?" he asked her, as his fingers played absentmindedly with the buttons of her short sleeve blouse.

"I'm fine. I know you're tired though. You need a good nights sleep, Draco," she said, touching his face lightly.

He leaned over once more, and said, "I love you. Now, apologize for calling me a brat."

She sat up and so did he. "I called you a spoiled brat, not just a brat. You can't tell me you love me and then demand an apology," she pointed out to him.

"I think I just did," he said, touching her bare thigh, right by the hem of her shorts.

She sat beside him, about to apologize, when Professor McWhorter shouted for everyone to come see what was found.

Hermione stood up and ran down the hill. Draco was curious, so he followed. The team had unearthed a large stone table, which had writings and symbols carved in the surface, similar to the runes found on the cup and the cylinder. It was still partially underground, but there was enough of it uncovered that everyone was soon excited at their find. Paul said, "Hermione, there's that same symbol on one of the ends of the table. I wonder if the symbols on the other three sides are for the other founders."

Hermione jumped down in the pit that was dug out, to join the team. Draco stepped down as well. Hermione went up to the table, to examine it more closely. She reached out to touch the symbol, and she immediately fainted.

Draco ran up and caught her before she hit the ground. Professor McWhorter told the rest of the team to get away from the table, and for no one to touch it. Paul helped Draco to lift Hermione out of the dig site, and helped to lay her on the ground. When after a few moments, she did not come to; they took her to the hospital wing.

What Hermione saw -

A woman with long blonde hair and green eyes came running into a circular stone room. She had on light coloured robes, with gold stitching. She ran right up to a man with dark, almost black hair and turned him around. He had a black mustache and beard, and dark blue robes, and was very handsome. The woman was angry. She was yelling at the man. He took hold of both of her arms and shook her, and yelled back. She broke from his grasp and started to run from the room. He came up behind her and turned her back around. This time, he looked at her tenderly. He was no longer angry. The woman fell at his feet, crying. He picked her up in his arms. That is all Hermione remembered before she woke up.

When she awoke, she was in the hospital wing. Draco and Paul were both staring down at her. She said, "Why am I here?"

"You fainted. You touched the stone table and then you fainted," Draco told her, coming to sit on her bed, "Do you remember anything?"

"I had a vision, or a dream. It was odd. I saw what was happening, but I could not hear anything. It was not as if I was part of the vision, it was as if I was witnessing it from another place. There was a man and a woman, from the middle ages, and they were arguing, and then the woman broke down crying, and the man tried to comfort her. That's when I woke up," she said, sitting up in the bed.

Paul asked, "Have you ever had this vision before?"

"The strange thing is I think I have, even though I don't remember having it before." She looked at each man and said, "Oh, I know that doesn't make any sense. I can't explain it." She seemed aggravated.

"Hermione, why don't you stay away from the site, just for today? Maybe the sun was too bright and hot, and you are suffering from heatstroke or something," Paul said, standing up. "If we find anything else, I'll let you know."

Hermione nodded in agreement. Before he left, she said, "Paul, do we have any portraits of the founders? I always thought it was odd that their weren't any here at Hogwarts, and most of the books I've read, including the one Draco gave me, just have artist renditions, and they never look quite the same in any of them."

"That's because we've yet to ever discover their actual portraits. Moving paintings weren't really around then, so we don't really know exactly what they looked like, why?" he asked back.

She did not want to tell him her theory, but she had a feeling that the man and woman she witnessed in her apparition were Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin. "I just wondered," she answered.

He waved and left the room. Hermione turned to look at Draco, who was eyeing her suspiciously. "Why did you really want to know?" he asked her.

She told him her theory. He did not agree with her, because he was afraid to confirm her conjecture, even though a part of him thought she was right. "Why don't you take a nap, and I'll come back for you in an hour or so. Madame Pomfrey says there's no reason for you to stay here tonight," he told her, leaning down and kissing her head. She said okay and lay back down. She was tired, after all.

Draco had somewhere to go. He needed to go back to Malfoy Manor, and he wanted to go back there right at that moment. He did not want to wait. There was something else there that he desired to 'steal'.

When he got back to the castle, Hermione was no longer in the hospital wing. Draco searched for her and found that she was in her own room, working on her lesson plans. He was glad that she was not working on something from the site. He sat down on the couch next to her, and she held up one finger, as if to silence him before he had even spoken. After several minutes, her finger came down and she said, "Now, tell me where you've been."

He sat there staring at her for a few moments and she finally said, "Draco?"

"Oh, am I allowed to talk now?" he sneered, then saying under his breath, "I swear, so rude." Then he added, " I wanted to show you something, but I don't want you to tell Paul about them, because they are something that if the Ministry knew my family had, they would confiscate them."

She was all keyed up. "What is it?"

"Come to my room," he asked her. She followed him to his room, and he escorted her to his bed. He said a locking spell on his door, although no one could enter without the password, and then he came to sit beside her. He took a wooden box out of his satchel, no bigger than an envelope. Inside were two lockets. One, gold, with ancient Celtic looking writing, and the other, silver, with the same type of symbols as the first.

Draco said, "What I have here have been in the Malfoy family for something like 500 years. I had to go to the Manor, down in the vault, to get them. I was not even sure they were still there. I had only seen them once in my life."

"What are they," Hermione asked, reaching to touch one, but then drawing her hand back.

"You can touch them, it's all right," he said, picking up the silver one and handing it to her, as he picked up the gold one. "Open it," he implored.

She did as directed, and inside the silver locket were two pictures. The picture on of the left side of the locket was of a man with dark hair and a mustache and beard. The portrait on the right side of the locket was of a woman with long blonde hair. She inhaled an intake of breath, and said, "Draco, these are the people from my vision!"

"Those are portraits of Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin," he stated calmly. He opened the gold locket and showed her the portraits of Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw.

"How did these come to be in your family?" she asked, adding, "Are they accurate. Are they authentic?"

"Yes, they are, and I have no idea how we obtained them. I am sure some Malfoy hundreds of years ago stole them. Supposedly, they were taken from this school. There's probably no one alive today who even knows of their existence," he said.

Hermione kept the silver locket in her hand and stood to look out his window. She opened the locket once more and examined the painted portraits. She was without words. She honestly did not know what to make of it. She had never really believed in clairvoyance, or divination. Nevertheless, what else could explain her vision? Draco came to stand beside her and put his hand on hers, which was resting on the windowsill.

"I think we need to tell Paul," Hermione turned to Draco and said.

"No, not yet anyway, please respect my wishes on this," he asked her. She nodded her head and started to hand the locket back to him. He shook his head and said, "Keep it. Keep them both," and he handed her the other. He walked over to his bed and picked up the little wooden box. She put the lockets in their assigned spots, the one on the left, and the other on the right.

"I don't understand what's happening here, but I have to admit, my interest is certainly piqued," she said.

Goodnight and Sweet Dreams -

That night, Hermione sat up in bed looking at the locket again. It was so strange. She not only was reliving the 'vision' from earlier, but she knew in her heart that her vision from today had something to do with her dreams, even though she couldn't recall even one of them. She stood up, put the locket away in the little box, and put it in the top drawer of her dresser. It was the first night she was without the cylinder or the cup in her room. It was the first night all week she was without Draco.

He had decided to take her up on her offer, and sleep in his room tonight. He had classes to get ready for, for they were only a week away. In addition, they were going to spend the whole day together tomorrow, so he wanted to get some rest. He wasn't worried about her tonight, for she didn't have the cup or the cylinder in her room, so he felt she was safe and would rest peacefully. He was looking forward to spending the whole day with her tomorrow. Truthfully, she wanted nothing more than to go to the site, but she promised him.

She slipped out of her slippers, and got under her sheet. It was a warm night again, so her windows were open. There was a pleasant breeze coming in the windows, kissing her skin with a light airy radiance. She closed her eyes, no longer afraid of what she might see in her dreams. She wished for dreams tonight. She wanted her visions. She needed to know if her premise was correct, so she shut her eyes and willed sleep to overtake her.

Don and Paul Boot were at the dig site. It was late, almost 2:00 am, but Paul was still very enthused about their find today, and decided to spend the night in one of the tents. His brother was staying with him. At that moment, they were by the stone table. Most of the other archeologist, as well as Professor McWhorter, were already asleep in their own tents, but Paul was painstakingly copying all the symbols from the stone table, which was now completely unearthed, onto a piece of parchment. His brother was merely watching, yawning now and then. Don heard something in the woods, far off in the distance. He said, "Paul, stop writing for a moment. I hear something."

Paul put the quill down and listened. After a few moments, and not hearing anything, he picked his quill back up and said, "You are imagining things. This is an eerie place at night. It's like you can almost feel the magic in the air." After several long moments, Don came up to his brother and took the quill right out of his hand.

"Stop it. I hear something, I tell you," Don barked, taking out his wand. His brother stood next to him, and took out his wand as well. Finally, they saw the source of the noise. It was Hermione. She was walking through the woods. They did not even know it was she at first. Don said, "Over there, there's someone in the woods." The brothers stepped out of the ravine and started toward the woods.

"It's Hermione," Paul said, coming to the realization.

Hermione was walking toward them, in a long white gown. Her hair was long and loose, and the breeze was blowing it behind her back. Her feet were bare. "Hermione, what are you doing here?" Paul asked, but his brother put his hand on his shoulder.

"Don't talk to her," Don advised, "and don't put your wand away."

"Why?" Paul asked.

"Hush, be quiet," Don warned the younger man. Hermione was walking further into the woods. Don said, "We need to follow her, but as wolves, for our own safety." The two men became wolves and followed Hermione as she walked deep into the forest.

She stopped by a large precipice that overlooked a gorge. She stood on the edge. The two wolves looked at each other in worry. Soon, a spectral, or a ghost of some kind, joined Hermione on the ledge. The wolves stood in the shadows. The ghost merely stood beside her. They seemed to be in conversation, although neither wolf could hear them utter a single word. Without warning, the spectral vanished, and as soon as it did, Hermione collapsed on the hard stone rock face.

Don and Paul quickly became men and ran to her side. She looked like she had been stabbed, as there was blood coming from a wound on her stomach, drenching the white gown with red. Before they could reach out to touch her, she disappeared. Paul yelled her name, and Don quickly turned back into a wolf. Paul followed suite and both wolves ran straight for the castle.

It was 2:16 am. Hermione lay in bed, sweating profusely. She woke up in a cold sweat, with her heart beating loudly. She had a terrible stomachache. She wondered if Draco would get her a potion for the pain, but then she looked around, and remembered that Draco was not with her tonight. She sat up in bed and lit a lantern on her bedside table. She heard a knock on her door. She stood up, but felt faint. "Coming!" she yelled. She sat back on the edge of the bed, willing herself to take deep breaths.

Don yelled at his brother to go get Draco. Maybe he knew the password to her room. Paul ran down the hall and banged on Draco's door. He came to the door and said, "What?" very irritated, indeed, at being woken up. He knew it wasn't Granger, for she would have just let herself in. He saw Paul Boot, who looked afraid. Before Paul could say anything, Draco pushed him out of the way and ran to Hermione's room.

Don was in front of her door, and said, "What's her password?" Draco said the password, and the three men went rushing into her room.

Hermione, who was still sitting on the edge of the bed, saw the three men enter her living room, through her opened bedroom door, and asked, "What's going on?"

She was in a pair of pajama pants, and a black t-shirt. Don and Paul looked at each other, shocked. They had last seen her in a long white gown. Draco said to her, "I'm as confused as you are."

Don said, "Hermione, this is going to sound odd, but let me see your stomach."

"Why?" she asked, half embarrassed.

"Please, just let me see. Either my brother and I had a joint hallucination tonight, or something wicked is happening here," Don expounded.

Hermione walked into the living room to join the three men. She lifted her t-shirt, and there was a small wound, no bigger then a coin, on her stomach, but it was bleeding freely. Draco rushed to her, touched her stomach, and then turned to the brothers, and he asked, "What happened?" He looked from Don and Paul, back to Hermione and repeated, "Someone tell me what the hell is going on here."

Paul went to Hermione's bathroom, and wet a cloth and handed it to her. She wiped the blood, and before either man explained, Paul said a healing spell, and the wound closed, but a scar remained. Don told the duo what they saw. They saw Hermione, in a long white gown, walking through the woods. They changed to wolves to follow her. She met a man, who seemed more like a spirit, they exchanged words, and then she fell on the stone ledge. They said they went up to her, saw a wound on her abdomen, and when they reached out to help her, she disappeared.

"I never left my room. I know I didn't. What time did that happen?" Hermione asked.

"I didn't look at a clock," Don said sharply, "but it just happened. We came here immediately."

"How could she get from the stone ledge back to her bed, when you can't apparate to or from the castle? You can't even apparate on school grounds," Draco said.

"I don't know what the hell is going on, but I know what I saw," Don said.

"Hermione, do you remember anything?" Paul asked her.

Hermione was close to tears. She said, "I woke up, with a stomachache, and I had a cold sweat, and I felt somewhat lightheaded. I was going to try to get up to go to Draco's room, to see if he could give me a potion for my stomach, and then you knocked on the door."

Suddenly, Draco stood up from the couch and went to Hermione's bedroom. He looked at the clock on her dresser. He came back in the other room and asked her, "What time did that occur?"

"I think you know the answer," Hermione stated back to him.

Draco said, "I don't think I know the answer to anything right now."


	4. Part IV

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

**Part IV: **

The Tale Continues - 

Classes finally began, and Hermione's nightmares continued, not that she was any closer to remembering them. Her injuries continued as well, and even though it was still warm, she had taken to wearing long sleeves when she did not have on her robes, so that people would not ask questions. She didn't want the students to ask her how she obtained all those bruises and scratches. During that time, the archeology team uncovered only a few other items, some arrowheads, some utensils, and some stone tablets. The stone table was still the biggest and most important find thus far, and that was found two weeks ago. Professor McWhorter and Paul were working on the runes on the table. They were not having much luck uncovering the meaning of the symbols. They wanted Hermione to come help, but Draco asked Hermione to stay away from the site, and she respected his wishes, for once.

Besides, her classes and her wedding plans were keeping her busy. Her mother was persistent in her demands that Hermione start to narrow down some choices, so she forced Draco to help her, and they picked out the venue (picked by Mrs. Malfoy, so that it was easily accessible for Wizards and Muggles) and the invitations. She picked her colors, (purple and silver), and that was about it so far. Her classes were consuming more of her time than she thought.

It was a very warm September. It was September 6, and it was actually hot in her classroom. Draco came sauntering in as she was grading reports. He sat on her desk, on top of the papers she was grading. Hermione looked up at him, irritated, until he smiled at her. Her frown melted, replaced by a smile. He pulled on the front of her robes and forced her to stand, between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the side of her neck. "How can you stand to work in here? It's so warm," he said. He moved his lips to her neck, and removed her robes off her shoulders.

"Draco, a student might come in and see us," she warned, as he continued to kiss her neck.

"Classes are over for the day," he chastised, kissing her pulse point. He put his thumbs on each side of her collar, and opened it slightly. He moved his mouth to her collarbone. His hands spread out wide on her back. She was close enough to him that she could feel his want for her. She moved her head to the side, and then moved to kiss his neck. He moaned slightly.

"Let's take this to my room," he spoke against her neck.

"Can't, grading papers," she said breathlessly.

"Please," he moaned.

She bit her bottom lip and grinned. "Let me finish with my papers, and I swear I am all yours, and you can have your evil way with me," she promised.

"Don't make me all happy, to take it away. Keep your promises, Granger," he chided.

"I intend to, Malfoy, wait and see," she laughed, sitting back down to finish her papers, and swatting at his legs to make him move off the parchments. "If you help me, I will get done faster," she said.

He stayed on her desk, took a quill, and started putting a failing grade on every paper. She took her wand and erased his errant marks, and said, "If you can't help me, than just sit there quietly and let me finish."

"How can you stand being cooped up in here, it's so damn warm," he repeated his sentiment from earlier.

"How can you stand to be cooped up in the dungeons, it's so dark and damp?" she remarked.

"At least they are underground, so it's cool. What are you doing?" he moaned, as she was actually reading one of the pieces of parchments, "If you aren't going to fail them all, than pass them all and be done with it," he reprimanded, still sitting on her desk and swinging his legs back and forth. He removed his robe and put it over her head, and laughed.

"I have to be fair in my grading," she said, removing his robe. Aren't you fair when you grade papers?" she asked.

"No," he said quickly, "I give all the best grades to the Slytherins, barely pass the Ravenclaws, fail the Hufflepuffs, and mark all the Gryffindors incomplete."

"You're lying," she said, hopefully.

He picked up a scroll that was on her desk. "What's this?"

"Paul wrote down all the runes and symbols from the table, and wanted to know if I could have a look at them, since I can't seem to actually touch the table without fainting," Hermione said.

Then, Draco saw that the Hufflepuff cup was sitting on the floor, by her desk. "Why is that thing in here?" he asked.

"I might need it, as a point of reference. The cylinder is here, too. They might help me with the table runes," she explained.

Draco said exasperated, "I really don't like the idea of these being in your room."

"Draco," Hermione said, putting her quill down, "I have been having the dreams anyway, so the cup and the cylinder must not have anything to do with my night time happenings. I'll keep them locked up in my desk here in my classroom if you would like, instead of bringing them to my room," she conceded.

"I think you should see a seer. Someone who could help you remember things. Maybe even one of those hypnologist," Draco said.

"That's silly," she said.

"Maybe you should talk to Professor Trelawney, or that Centaur," Draco said, with a grin.

Hermione merely huffed and went back to work.

"What?" Draco asked, "How can you seriously tell me that a girl who grew up a Muggle, and then became a witch, and who has seen the things you've seen, and done the magic you've done, not believe in this one particular branch of magic? Do you know what I think, Granger?"

"Do tell," she smiled up at him, putting her quill down again. He jumped down off her desk and kneeled by her chair.

"I think you are afraid to believe. I also think you have closed yourself off to Divination, because you were offended by a silly professor back when you were 14 years old, and your pride is in your way," Draco concluded. "Yes, your pride and your fear."

Hermione glared at him and stood up. "I'm not afraid! In addition, maybe my pride was wounded back in third year, but that was a long time ago! It is just a bunch of malarkey. Let me prove it to you," and she left the room, returning shortly. She came back in with a young girl of about 15 years old.

"Dorothy, this is Professor Malfoy, Professor, this is Dorothy Bishop," Hermione said. The girl looked half-afraid of Malfoy. He smiled at her, however, and she smiled back. Hermione continued, "Dorothy is going to help us out for a minute."

Hermione turned to the girl and said, "Dorothy, I'm going to attempt to use ESP to read your aura, is that okay with you?" The girl nodded and Hermione carried on, "Dorothy, I see that there is a mother figure looking after you, who's passed on, and she is telling me that she is right beside you, watching out for you. Who might that be?"

The girl's eyes opened wide and she said, "My Nana. She died last March."

"Yes, she was very ill, right?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, she had cancer," the girl said softly.

"She said to tell you she's in a better place, and there's no more pain. Now, she tells me there is something about a picture. Do you have a picture of her on your dresser or night table?"

"Yes," the girl answered excited, "On my bedside table, there is a picture of her and me."

"Is there something special, or different about the picture, or perhaps the frame? Or did you just get a new frame for that picture?" Hermione asked.

"Well, my cat knocked the picture off, and the glass broke, but I haven't gotten a new frame yet," she answered.

"She tells me to tell you that you don't need to get a new frame. She likes the imperfection," Hermione said. The girl smiled.

"That sounds like her. Her favourite quote was 'waste not, want not'," Dorothy answered.

"She tells me she sends you signs that she is with you. Is there some special sign that you two shared?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, Professor! The day she died there was a rainbow, and she said every time I see a rainbow, that means she's with me, and there was a rainbow just last week, after it rained," Dorothy answered, now with a large smile on her face.

"Yes, that's what she told me," Hermione said back, "She has to go now, but she wants you to know she loves you, and is proud of you."

"Oh, Thank you so much, Professor!" the girl said.

Hermione said, "Please, don't tell anyone what we discussed here, okay?"

The girl nodded and ran out of the room, smiling.

Hermione crossed her arms, smirked at Malfoy and said, "See, a load of malarkey. I asked a bunch of leading questions, got her to reveal things to me, and fed off her responses. It's all a load of rubbish."

"What about the rainbow thing? How did you know that?" Draco asked.

"Everyone has something special they share with their love ones," Hermione pointed out, sitting down, "She's the one that revealed the fact that it was a rainbow."

Draco stood up and crossed his arms. "I think that was cruel to do that to that little girl."

"Why? She went away happy, and none the wiser, and I proved my point," Hermione said to him.

"Maybe not," said a voice from the doorway.

The Man at the Door-

"May I help you?" Hermione asked the young man.

"You don't recognize me, do you?" the man asked.

Draco said, "You are another one of the Boot brothers. Nick, I believe."

The man reached out to shake Draco's hand. Hermione had only met this brother at Terry's funeral. Besides the times he had been a wolf in her presence, the funeral was the only time she saw him as a man. He was taller than the other brothers, with dark hair, but not as dark as Paul's. He wore it very long, and had it back in a ponytail. He had brilliant blue eyes, and a very nice smile. He was good-looking, but not as handsome as his brother Paul was. Hermione reached out to take his hand. He looked at her hand, and then reached out and shook it.

"Don't be angry, but I'm here to help you, Miss Granger," the man said.

"Help me? How?" Hermione asked.

"Don asked me to talk to you. I am a clairvoyant. I can see mostly the past, but sometimes the future as well," he said in all sincerity. Hermione eyed him wearily. "I was in the hallway, and I witnessed your little exchange with that young girl. You know, what I do is nothing like that. That's something out of a Muggle Carnival, or something," he said, offended.

Hermione looked at Draco and Draco said, "You're on you own, because he's right."

"What did your brother tell you?" Hermione asked.

"Not a lot, but combined with what Draco told me, I think I have a firm grasp of what's going on here," he said, coming to sit down on top of one of the tables.

Hermione walked up to Draco, and said, "What have you told him?"

"Listen, Granger, I won't apologize for being concerned for you. I talked to Don about your night terrors a couple of weeks ago, and then he suggested I write to his brother, so I did. I am going to leave you two to talk. I'll see you at dinner," and Draco leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

She took a deep breath, shut the door to her classroom, and then took one more breath so that first word out of her mouth would not offend the man. She turned around. "Please, leave," she said. That wasn't too offensive, was it?

He laughed and said, "I remember this side of you, from when we guarded you. I could read you more easily when I was a wolf. Why don't you believe, Hermione?"

She sat down across from him, on the same table. "I don't know, really. I just don't like what I can't explain or understand. Even with magic, there are laws of nature. Things like 'reading minds' and 'divination' seems like they go against the laws of nature."

He said, "It's good to be cynical sometimes, but you must also learn to keep an open mind. There's more to magic than what can be learned in textbooks, or within the walls of this school," he said, with a smile. "May I attempt to read your thoughts? Try to attempt to unravel your dreams?"

Fine, she thought. She would do it for Draco, but that was the only reason. "What do I need to do?"

That next day, Hermione and Draco met Don, Paul, and Nick outside. It was Saturday, and most of the students were outside as well, since it was such a beautiful day. They walked up over the hill, and Nick led them to the stone precipice, where Don and Paul had seen 'Hermione' and the spectral that one night a couple weeks ago. They were far enough from the dig site that they were away from prying eyes. Nick and Hermione, alone, went and sat on the large stone. Draco and the other men sat away from them, in the woods, but still within earshot.

Nick said, "Hermione, I want you to take a deep breath, and clear your mind. Listen to the sound of the breeze in the trees. Concentrate on that sound alone. Clear all other sounds and thoughts out of your mind."

Hermione soon found her self totally relaxed. All she heard was his voice. No other sound could be heard. He asked her, "Do you know where you are?"

"I'm at Hogwarts," she said.

"What's your name?" he said.

She answered, "Hermione Jean Granger."

"Very good. Now, Hermione, I want you to sleep. Take a deep breath. I want to know what you see in your dreams. I want you to be a silence observer of your dreams, instead of a participant. Don't be afraid. Watch them from afar. As your dreams start to come to you, tell me what you see," he suggested. He waited several moments and he said, "Can you see your dreams?"

"Yes," she said, lying back on the hard rock, with his jacket under her head.

"Do you clearly see what you are dreaming?" he asked.

"Yes," she said again.

"Tell me what you see," he asked.

Hermione's vision-

"I see a man, on a horse, coming near me, and I'm afraid. He means to cause me harm," Hermione said.

"No one can hurt you. Remember that. Tell me what else you see," he reminded.

"He has on a black robe, and long back hair. He wants to barter for me. He wants me for the land," she said.

Nick was confused. "Who is he?" he asked.

"One of the Darians," she said, "I think he's the oldest. He's a dark wizard. He's evil, that much I am sure. He told Godric that he would let us build our school here if he gives me to him."

"Who are you?" Nick asked, confused at the mention of the name 'Godric'.

"Helga Hufflepuff," she answered.

"Where's Hermione?" he asked.

"I don't know a Hermione," she said.

Nick looked over at his brother, in concern. Don stood up, but the other men remained where they were. Nick could see that his brother looked scared. He put out his hand, to motion that Don should sit back down. However, he remained standing. He was soon joined by Draco and Paul.

Nick said, "Helga, what year is it?"

"997 AD."

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"We are here to build a school," she explained.

"No, Helga, we are not in your time. This is a thousand years beyond your time. Your school has already been built. Why are you here in the present?"

"I need to let someone know my secret," she said.

"What is your secret?" he asked.

"No, I can't tell you. I can only tell her," Hermione said.

"Who? Tell who?" Nick asked.

"This girl," she answered.

"Why her?" he asked.

"Because we share a connection, because of my cup. She released my soul, when she pierced the cup. My soul was with another's in that cup, so I can only tell her," she said.

"You have to leave her alone. You are causing her danger. You are hurting her," Nick said.

Suddenly, Hermione stood up and screamed. Nick stood up and the other three ran toward her. Nick motioned at them to leave. Hermione sank back down. Nick came to kneel beside her.

"Hermione?" he asked.

Still in a trance, she said, "Yes."

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes."

"What's your name?" he asked.

"You just said it. It's Hermione," she said, eyes closed.

"Hermione, can you tell me about your dreams?" he asked, now that he had her back again.

Hermione said, "I dreamt of a beautiful lady. She had long strawberry blond hair, and green eyes. She came to this land to build a school. She fell in love with one of her best friends, but he betrayed her. He didn't mean to. He left her and she was kidnapped and tortured. He came back to rescue her. He never forgave himself."

"Why does she show you these dreams?" Nick asked, "These aren't secrets. Everyone knows this story." He was assuming she was talking about Helga's rescue by Salazar.

"No, she doesn't want me to tell you anything else. She is telling me that only I can know. She said that I have to find out the truth. Only I can do that," she said.

"Hermione," Nick said, "Listen to me, not her. Tell me about your dreams."

"No!" Hermione shouted, sitting up, eyes still closed.

"Hermione, I want you to wake up, when I count to three, you will wake up, and remember everything we talked about. You will clearly remember your dreams and repeat them to me. One, Two," before Nick could say three, however, Hermione spoke.

"Why are you preventing me from showing her the truth?"

"Who?" Nick asked.

"This young maiden named Hermione. I need to show her what happened. I can't do it when she's awake, for it might scare her. I can only come to her in her dreams. I need to know the truth. Please, let me show her what I know, so he can find out the truth," Hermione said.

"Helga?" Nick asked. Draco was close enough to hear everything clearly now. He started to walk up to them, but Don held him back.

"Yes, it's me again," she said.

"I told you, you need to leave her. You do not belong in this time. Leave her alone," Nick said, with authority.

"He won't let me. He wants me to find out the truth," she said.

"Who? Who won't let you?" Nick asked.

"Salazar. He wants me to find out the truth. He tried to find out from her himself the other night, but the wolves interfered," she said.

"What does he want to find out from her?" Nick asked.

"He wants to know who murdered me," Hermione said.

"You died a very old lady, of natural causes, nothing killed you," he said.

"No, you are wrong. I was murdered. He was blamed. He did not kill me. I need to find out who did," she said.

Soon, Hermione was crying. Nick stood back up and said, "Hermione, Listen to me, you must wake up now. On the count of three, One, Two, Three, wake up!"

Hermione remained on the stone surface, crying, with her eyes shut. "Please, don't take her away from me. She's my only hope," Hermione cried, although it was Helga speaking.

Nick was at a loss. Hermione should have woken up by now. He yelled, "You will leave her now. You are not to hurt her anymore. You can come back and talk to me, if you want, but leave her dreams. Do not torment her anymore! She is an innocent girl. Helga Hufflepuff would never hurt an innocent girl!"

"I don't want to hurt her," Hermione said. The next thing to happen was unexpected, more than the spirit of one of the founders entering Hermione's body. The forest turned dark. However, it was only shortly after noon, still the sky turned black, and the clouds turned gray. The wind blew harshly, and the limbs fell from the trees.

Don ran up to the precipice and said, "We have to get out of here."

"She won't wake up," Nick yelled to be heard over the sound of the wind. A torrential rain began to fall. Draco went to pick up Hermione. He was thrown away from her body, as if shocked. The same spectral that was with her the night the Boot brothers saw her, came out of nowhere. He sent a fine mist around Hermione's body. Her body glowed. She was lifted straight off the rock face. All four men took several steps back. Then, the male spectral left, followed by a lighter, feminine looking spectral. Hermione was thrown back to earth, unceremoniously.

Draco rushed up to her and took her in his arms. She was awake, and confused, and in a great deal of pain from dropping on a hard rock from such a high distance. She was crying once more. He kissed her head and said, "I'm so sorry. It's my fault."

The rain and darkness subsided, and the bright sun of September returned just as quickly. Nick said, "We must try again. I was very close!"

Draco yelled, "No! It is over. It is all over. Everyone stay away from her. The spirit of Hufflepuff left her. It's all over!" and he lifted her up, bridal style, and walked all the way back to the castle.


	5. Part V

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

**Part V:**

A Sacred Scar-

Draco took her to her room and put her on her bed. She held on to him tight. She remembered everything that happened. She did not know what was real, and what was not. Draco stayed with her, in her room, all day, even bringing their meals up to her room. That night, he stayed in her room with her, to watch her while she slept. She fell asleep shortly after 10:30 pm. Draco stayed awake. He stayed awake until 2:30 am. Hermione did not wake up. 2:15 came and went, and she stayed asleep. Draco finally welcomed his own slumber. They both slept peacefully until dawn. She woke before he did. She went around to his side of the bed, and touched his face gently. She bent down and kissed his cheek, and then headed toward the bathroom. She turned on the shower, and stepped in, to let the warm water wash over her body.

She could not believe she had slept all night long. She even remembered her dreams. She dreamt good things last night. She dreamt it was her wedding to Draco. Could it really be all over, just like that? Nick Boot told the 'spirit' of a thousand year old Hogwarts' founder to leave her body, and it did? Hermione took her sponge and started to wash her face, neck, shoulders and arms. She reached down and began to wash her belly. She looked down to see if the scar on her stomach was beginning to fade. What she saw on her stomach made her drop her sponge in shock. On her stomach, as if burned in her flesh, and no bigger than the original wound, was the symbol from the cup, the cylinder, and the table. The symbol for Helga Hufflepuff.

Hermione tried not to worry about it. After all, she did not have any night terrors last night, did she? Maybe it was just a lasting symbol after all that had happened. Perhaps it would fade. She decided not to tell anyone about it, not yet. However, it would be hard to hide it from Draco.

She got out of the shower, dried off, and then she quietly dressed, and left a sleeping Draco in her bedroom. She went to sit on her couch. She picked up the book he gave her on the founders. She leaned over to the coffee table, and picked up the box that contained the lockets. She slipped the silver locket out of the box. She opened the locket before she opened the book. She stared intently at the portraits therein. She wanted to unravel the mystery of what happened to these two people, as much for them as for herself. She put the locket around her neck, under her shirt. She opened the book and started reading.

The book told most of the story that Paul had already relayed to her. She skipped past many chapters, to the end. The last chapter told how each founder died. It said that Helga Hufflepuff married a wizard named William Sparten. They had eight children. She died at the age of 101. Hermione wondered how it was that the 'spirit' of Helga Hufflepuff thought she was murdered, and apparently while still young. She skipped more pages, and read about the death of Salazar Slytherin. He married twice. His first wife died in childbirth, giving him twin sons. His second wife died 20 years after they married, giving him three more sons, and one daughter. It was unknown how old he was when he died, as he had disappeared, but at the time of his disappearance, he was at least 85 years old.

She went to the middle of the book, and scanned for information of when he left the school. Apparently, it was many years after the founding. He had already been twice married and had many children before he left. When did he and Helga have a relationship? Was it when they were still young?

The book was not helping her at all. She put it down and looked at the locket once more. She got up and walked around the castle. It was very early on a Sunday morning, and most of the inhabitants still seemed to be in bed. She went to her classroom, and took out the scroll with the runes from the stone table. She wondered which symbol stood for Slytherin. She got an inspiration, and she looked at the locket once more. She traced her fingers on the symbol on the front. It was two symbols intertwined. She could clearly see Helga's symbol on front. She took out a piece of parchment, and drew Helga's symbol. Then she copied the symbol from the locket on another piece of parchment. She went up to the window, and laid the two pieces on top of each other. With the locket symbol on bottom, she took a red Muggle pen from her desk, and traced the locket symbols on the top piece of parchment. She went back to her desk. On the top piece of parchment, she could now disconcert the two separate symbols, since the Hufflepuff design was in black, and the other design in red. Now she took another plain piece of parchment, and went back to the window, tracing only the red parts of the symbol underneath. When she was finished, she knew she had drawn the Slytherin symbol.

She went to the scroll. Paul had traced the symbols from the table in exact order as they were on the table, as if the scroll was a miniature table. The Hufflepuff symbol was on the bottom of the scroll. Exactly opposite, at the top of the scroll, was the symbol she deduced to be Slytherin. She put her fingers on the scar on her stomach. What did all these symbols and runes mean?

Taking a deep breath, she took out the cup. She examined it clearly. She turned it around in her hands. On the front was the same design that was scorched on her stomach, and on the back, was the Slytherin design. She drew a sharp intake of breath. She had never noticed the second symbol, because she had no reason to, but this was Helga's cup, used by Voldemort as a container for his soul, but did not the spirit of Hufflepuff tell Nick Boot that Hermione released her soul from the cup as also, when she destroyed Voldemort's soul? Did that mean that the cup was used as a Horcrux for her soul as well? If it was a Horcrux for her, why was her piece of soul not destroyed when Voldemort's was? And why was Slytherin's symbol on the cup along with Hufflepuff's?

Gaining more questions than answers; she sat back and held the cup again. She put the cup up to her face, very close. She said, "Give me the answers I seek." She put the cup back in her drawer. She stood up, but quickly fell to the ground. She was nauseated, and felt faint. She closed her eyes. When she opened them, she realized she was not in Kansas anymore.

She stood up and realized that either she was dreaming, or she had time traveled back to the middle ages. She was not even still in her classroom. She was in a wide-open field. There were men on horses all around her. No one could see her. She walked up to a tent. She stepped in, confident that she was still unnoticed. She saw the faces from the locket, minus one. Around a small wooden table sat Godric, Rowena and Helga.

"_Helga, you cannot go away, I shall not let you. I would not survive in this world without you," Rowena said tearfully._

"_There is no other choice to be made. We cannot continue to fight. Too many people have already lost their lives. The Darians will never give up. They do not want only to drive us from their land, but they want our deaths. It is my fault, for I should have given myself to them in the beginning, so I shall leave," Helga said, standing._

_Godric stood and said, "Damn Salazar to hell. He should never have left us. We need him here to fight beside us. Now, good Helga, you are more than a friend to me, nay, you are more a sister. I shall never let you leave, and I will protect your life with mine. Stop the talk of leaving. We shall find a way to overcome the dark magic. Remember, the light always conquers over the dark." Godric stood and left the tent._

"_You know he speaks the truth," Rowena said to her friend, putting her hand on her arm. She left as well. Helga sat back at the table and took out a piece of parchment. She wrote a letter to Salazar. She told him that she was sorry for her past indiscretion. She begged his forgiveness. She told him to come back, for Godric and their followers were in danger. She told him that she was giving her life to a group of dark wizards called "the Darians" to save the lives of their friends. She told him that since she would be gone, he was now free to come back. She ended the letter by saying that she would always love him. She attached the note to the leg of her owl, and walked out on the battlefield, to give her life over to the dark._

Hermione wanted to stop her, but no one here could see or hear her. She walked through the battle, completely unfazed by the spells and swordplay that passed around her. She saw Godric on a horse, in a swordfight with one of the dark wizards. She saw Rowena standing over one of the dark wizards, with her wand pointed at the man. She saw Helga walking toward the other side of the battlefield. One of the dark wizards saw her walking toward them. Hermione remembered her dreams at last. She remembered seeing this man, this wizard. She also remembered what happened next. No! Hermione shouted at Helga to stop!

"What happened to her?" Paul asked, coming up to the supine body of Hermione Granger, on the floor of her classroom. Bill Weasley, who had no inkling of anything that had been going on for the past month, was sitting beside her body, trying to wake her.

"I have no idea. I came up here, passed by her classroom, saw the door was opened, and walked in, and saw she was on the floor," Bill said, very worried.

Paul stroked her head, and she slowly woke up. She said, "Where am I?"

"Why do people always ask, 'where am I?' when they wake up from being unconscious?" Paul asked with a smile. She smiled as well, and sat up. "Did you have another vision, or a dream?" he asked.

"Yes, I was working on the runes from the table, and I asked the cup to give me answers, and this is what happened. I think the cup is some type of conduit," Hermione said.

Bill asked, "Excuse me, but is anyone going to explain to me what's going on here?"

Bill was not amused- 

Hermione sat at one of the tables in her classroom, and for the next hour she and Paul shared everything with Bill Weasley. Then she shared her most recent vision, along with her theories about the symbols on the cup, and the fact that the cup might have been a Horcrux for Helga's soul as well as Voldemort's soul. While both Hermione and Paul seemed to think it was the most exciting story in the world, Bill frowned the whole time they relayed their story. Finally, he said, "I used to be a curse breaker, so believe me, I know about dark magic. I do not like this. You have to stop messing with things, Hermione."

"But that's it; maybe I can control it now. If I can reach them while I'm awake, through the cup, than I can unravel the mystery," Hermione surmised.

"Answer this question, Hermione," Bill said, "What if you can't wake back up. What if what you see, or find out, dangers your life somehow. What if not only Helga's soul came back from that cup. What if Voldemort's soul comes back? I will not have you messing with things you don't understand."

Paul said, "My brother is often used as a conduit between this world and the world of the undead. Perhaps he could be used as the link, instead of using the cup."

Hermione nodded in agreement. Bill said, "No, listen to me, Paul, you just go about your business with the excavation, but leave this business alone. Furthermore, no one is messing around with Hermione. She's like my little sister, and I won't stand for it, none of it."

Hermione stood and said, "Excuse me, Bill, but while I appreciate your concern, the last time I looked, Paul had his own brothers to tell him what to do, and I was an only child. While I love you dearly, I am an adult. Since when do you tell me what to do?"

Draco stood in the open door and said, "What about me? May I tell you want to do?" Hermione was shocked that he was there.

She asked, "How much did you hear?"

"Every last bloody word," he expelled, "Excuse me gentlemen, while I talk to Granger, alone."

The two men left and he said, "When is enough, enough? When will it be over? Please, stop messing with this. You slept well last night, did you not. Did you have any bad dreams? No, you did not. Did you wake with any bruising or scratches? No. Please, leave it alone, for me. I am afraid for you. If something happens to you, I will die. Don't you care more for me than for some stupid mystery from a thousand years ago?"

She felt so ashamed. She was causing the man she loved pain, and for no real reason but curiosity. She walked up to him and stroked his cheek with her fingertips. "I am so sorry. I have caused you undue stress and pain. I will stop, and this time I will not just pretend to stop, but I will really, really stop. Take the cup, the cylinder, the scroll, and even the locket," she took the locket from around her neck and handed it to him, "Take them all away. I just want you to be happy. That's what's important," and she meant every word she said. He took the things she mentioned, as well as the wooden box with the other locket, which was on her desk, and told her to stay, and he would be right back.

As he walked through the castle with the items in his hands, he was half-tempted to destroy them. Instead, he went directly to Paul Boot's room. His brothers were in the room with him. Paul was telling them about Hermione's latest vision. Draco threw everything, including the lockets, on Paul's bed and said, "With all due respect, leave Hermione alone. Do not talk to her about any of this ever again. Take all these things, but do not show them to her again. Two lockets there belonged to my family. You may have them as well."

Nick stood up and said, "Paul told us what happened, and about her recent vision. I am sorry Draco, but this may not stop just because you want it to. She may have opened a window to the other world. This may have to take a natural course. If the spirits want her to finish a quest for them, or to unearth some answers, they may not rest until those things are done."

Draco took the man's collar in his fist. Paul stood up, to protect his brother if necessary. Don stayed in his seat. "I said, leave her alone. I do not want any of you even near her. I won't hesitate to use any means to stop you, understand?" Draco kept an even, deep timbre to his voice as he commanded his order. He let go of Nick's collar and turned around to the point of Don's wand, directed toward his chest.

Don said, "Draco, you know how I feel about you. I love you like a brother, and Hermione is the sister I never had, but always wanted, but know this, if you threaten any one of my brothers, I take it as a threat to me. I wouldn't let them threaten you, so I won't let you threaten them, now do YOU understand?"

Draco glared at his former friend and said, "The day I am afraid of you is the day I become a Gryffindor, and we know how likely that is. Just leave us both alone." Draco hit Don's wand hand aside, and stepped around him to walk out the door.

As he started out of the room, Don stood between him and the hallway. He told the younger man, "I once made my little brother Terry a wizard's oath. All of us did. We promised him that we would protect you and Hermione. That oath transcends death. We are bound, to this day, by that oath. You never knew that was why we protected you before. It was not just out of a sense of obligation, or justice. We were bound by that oath. We still are, except now, we would protect you without the oath, because, at least for my part, I have grown to care for both of you. Dare I say I love you both like family. We will leave Hermione alone, for now. Nevertheless, please, understand what Nick said to you. It may not be enough. It may be too late. It might have to run its natural course, and if it does, and she needs our help, we will be there for her. We will be there for both of you."

At the end of Don's speech, he put away his wand and held out his hand. Draco looked at his hand, and then back up at his face. He was torn. He shook Don's hand, and said, "That's all I can ask for now." He left the room and went to look for Granger.

Draco finds Hermione-

Draco went back to her classroom, where he told her to stay, half-expecting her to be gone. However, she was there, standing by the window, leaning against the sill, her hair blowing from the slight breeze that was struggling to come through the long window. She turned at the sound of him entering her room and ran to his arms. She kissed his mouth gently and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "I'm so sorry for being so selfish, and for not listening to you. I should have taken your feelings into consideration, please, forgive me," she said sincerely.

He stroked her back, up and down, with his fingertips. He kissed the top of her head as it rested against his chest. He said quietly, "I can't lose you. I have lost so much in my life. I would undoubtedly die, if you died. It is more than just poetic license, what I feel for you. Do not question it again, please. And, there is nothing to forgive. You were just being you."

At that last remark, she laughed and hugged him tightly around his waist. She looked up at him and said, "When was the last time I kissed you soundly?"

"I don't believe I recall," he joked.

"That long?" she said.

"Apparently," he said back.

"I must make up for lost time," she answered, standing up on her tiptoes, and kissing his mouth with a wanting, desirous, kiss. He lifted her up, and her legs went to wrap around his waist. He put his hands under her bum, and leaned against the wall. He pulled from her kiss, but maintained their position.

"Damn that no apparition thing! I need you now and preferably in my bedroom, not here in your classroom," he said with a growl.

"We have legs, let's walk instead," she said, as her legs left his waist.

"No, let's run," he said with a twinkle in his eye. She laughed and grabbed his hand and they went running down the hall, up a staircase, down another hall, stopped for four minutes on a moving staircase, ended up closer than they would have been if the stairs hadn't moved, down another hall, to the teacher's wing. They entered the portrait hole that covered the entrance to the wing. They ran toward his room, and she said, "My bed's bigger."

He said, "Who the hell needs a bed?" She continued to pull him toward her room. They stopped outside her room, as she uttered her password. They entered and ran toward her bed, both falling on top of it with laughter.

"I didn't know you could run so fast, little one," he laughed, poking her ribs.

"I could run faster than you any day, Malfoy. Someday we will have a race, and I will show you," she said, leaning over him and stroking his face with her fingers. She loved him so much. She straddled his body and removed her shirt, temporarily forgetting her new scar. Thank goodness, his eyes were elsewhere, so he did not see it either. Her arm snaked around to her back and she unclasped her bra. She threw it on the floor and leaned back over his body, to kiss him again.

He moaned as she moved on his body. She was sitting on a very sensitive spot. He literally picked her up and deposited her onto her back. He removed his shirt in one stroke, and then kicked off his shoes. He removed the rest of his clothing, as she merely watched.

"Are you going to stay dressed, or are you going to join me in naked land, Granger?" he asked.

She grinned and said, "Where exactly is naked land, Malfoy?"

He answered, "You take a right at Nude Village, and then a left at Bare-arse Boulevard and you are home free."

She laughed again and said, "You do the honours," and lifted her arms above her head. He smiled a most wicked grin, and leaned over to kiss her mouth again. His lips traveled down her jaw, to her neck, before he stopped to suck on her pulse point. His hands went to her bare breasts, where they lingered for many long moments. He was content for now. He finally moved his mouth to join his hands, lavishing each breast with equal attention. His mouth moved down to her ribs, and then to her flat stomach. He moved his mouth back to her breasts, as his hands unzipped her jeans, and started to push them, along with her knickers, down her hips. His mouth moved down lower as his hands pushed the remains of her clothing off her hips. He tugged them off and threw them on the floor. His mouth traveled back up her body. He was glad to see the bruises were fading, and there were no new injuries. He decided to take a good look, while he was kissing her all over.

That was when he saw it. He actually felt it first. His hand had touched the wound, the scar, on her stomach several times, without registering any reaction. He knew it was there. He knew she had bled from a mysterious wound that night, and that it had left a small scar. So, it was not a surprise, even when his mouth went to the place right above her navel, to kiss the old wound. It was while he was kissing her stomach that he pulled his head up once more to look at her body. That was when it happened.

He frowned, and growled at the same time. Her eyes were shut, and she had not noticed his reaction. However, her body was starting to miss his kisses, so that was when she opened her eyes. He was sitting by her naked body, with one finger touching the scar, and his eyes dark and brooding. She held her upper body up with her elbows, still confused as to why he stopped kissing her. However, once he made eye contact with her, she knew immediately the reason he had stopped.

She could feign ignorance, but then again, she was never a very good liar. He would see right through her lies. He always did. It was not as if the scar was her fault. She did not ask for it to appear. Still, he was bound to be angry. He was already angry. She said, "It appeared this morning."

That was enough of an admission for him. He wanted her to say that she did not know about it. He stood up suddenly, walked to her bathroom, and slammed the door shut as hard as he could. She got off the bed, and threw her knickers and t-shirt back on. She knocked on the door. "Malfoy, what's wrong? It's not like I wanted it to appear."

He opened the door, with a towel around his waist, and he came upon her so quickly she backed up, almost afraid. He grabbed her shoulders, shook her hard, and said, "When were you going to tell me about it?"

"I forgot about it," she said, honestly.

"Forgot? How stupid do you think I am?" he asked.

"Do you really want to know the answer to that?" she snapped back.

He shook her once more and then pushed past her, and grabbed his things from the floor. She yelled, "So, is this supposed to be my fault? Did I ask for her bloody mark to be on my stomach?" He was in the living room by this time, putting on his jeans and shirt. He headed toward her door and she went to stand in front of it.

"What is it?" she begged, "How can you be so angry about something in which I had no control?"

He wanted to throw her away from the door, just to get away from her, but he knew that was not fair. It was not her fault. He said, "Damn you, Granger." He walked over to her couch, and took off his shirt once more. He said, "Look what I woke up with. I don't know how you didn't notice it when you were molesting me earlier." He pointed to a small scar on his left shoulder. It was the mark of Slytherin.


	6. Part VI

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

**Part VI: **

What Time Forgot:

The night Nick Boot took Hermione to the forest, to the stone precipice, to discover her dreams, everything went wrong, and Draco felt it was entirely his fault. There was a point, that day, when the sky turned black, and the wind blew, that the spirit of a dark wizard seemed to lift her body off the rock face. Draco was afraid for her, so he tried to reach her body, to pull her back. Instead, he was knocked back from her when he tried to touch her. Unknown by the Boots, who were concentrating on Hermione, the male spirit briefly entered Draco's body as he was knocked to the earth. That night, Hermione slept for the first time in a month without any nightmares. That night, Draco had his first.

* * *

_Two young riders were approaching a farm in Northern Wales. They had decided to remain on horseback, as most of the villages and towns that they came upon were made up of Muggles. In fact, they had been traveling for over a month, and had yet to come across any other Wizards. That was soon to change._

_A young boy was in a large green field, herding sheep. One of the young riders, a wizard with long ginger hair, asked the boy if they might rest their horses by the stream. The boy said yes. Soon, a young maiden, no more than 16 or 17 years of age, appeared out of nowhere. This startled the men, as they both thought the same thing at the same time. She, however, was not the least bit startled to see them. She knew immediately that they were kindred spirits._

_She came up to the men and curtseyed low. "Good gentleman, welcome to the valley of Lochen. My name is Helga Hufflepuff, and you are enjoying the bounty of my father's farm. He would like to extend an invitation to the weary travelers. Stay on our land, as long as you deem necessary, and know that while you are here, you are safe, and well protected." The darker of the men looked suspicious, but the lighter man, the one who sensed a kindred spirit as well, knew right away that they were among magical folks._

"_My name is Godric Gryffindor, my fair lady. Extend your father our gratitude, and bid him welcome. My quiet friend over there is Salazar Slytherin."_

"_As stated, I'm Helga Hufflepuff. My father is Henry and my mother is Coreen. Like you, we are a magical family," the beautiful girl said, coming closer to lay her hand on the nose of Salazar's horse._

_Salazar turned dark and said, "There's no such thing as magical, wrench."_

_Godric gave his friend a chastising look. Helga, however smiled, and said, "I told you that you are safe here. Non-magical people cannot even see this village. If you would like to join my family's table, than follow me, if not, I bid thee, farewell," and she turned to walk in the direction of a great stone house._

_The two followed._

_They had been there for a fortnight, and Godric and Helga had already become close friends. She showed him healing spells he had never seen, as well as showed him plants and herbs that could be used for medicines. She showed him many ways to prepare roots, bark, and berries, so that they could endure the journey with plenty of food to eat. They shared their dreams of opening a school to teach, where wizards and witches could learn without fear. While Godric took to the young woman, loving her fast, loving her as a sister, Salazar remained guarded._

_One day, while Salazar was practicing spells in a field, the young maiden apparated directly behind him. He turned around fast with his wand pointed right at her chest. While he should have lowered his wand the moment he saw it was she, he kept the wand in place. He took two steps forward, forcing her two steps back. "Young maidens should know better than to appear out of thin air. There are more dangers in this world than just the non-magical."_

"_Do you mean me harm, dear sir?" she asked, with no trace of fear in her eye._

"_I may," he answered cryptically._

"_To what may I owe this animosity that you feel?" she asked, still not afraid._

"_You and your people are fools. You trust the non-magical. You even barter and trade with them. They will bring the destruction of our kind," he answered truthfully._

"_What of magical people who are born into non-magical families? Should they just leave their families behind? Someday we may all have to live together," she asked._

"_Magical people born to non-magical are a rarity, and an atrocity to nature. They do not deserve their magic. They will alert the non-magical to our presence, and be the downfall of our kind. I will never live in harmony with the non-magical. Mark my words, fair maiden, these children should be killed as soon as they are discovered," he said, his eyes growing dark. He put his wand down, and stood so close to her that he could smell her hair. It smelled like heather._

"_That is a horrendous thing to say, sir, and I have already been made aware of your views on this by your dear friend, Gryffindor, so I shall bid you farewell, as I cannot speak with you on this matter." She turned to leave. He took a hold of her arm. She turned back to look at him._

"_You are naïve. You haven't seen the horrors that Godric and I have seen," he protested._

"_Godric's whole family was murdered, so he should hate more than you, but he does not," she explained._

"_He's a bigger fool than you," he said, with a smile, which denoted sarcasm._

_She brought her hand up to slap his face. She stopped. "No, I won't trouble myself with striking you. You are not worth my hand," she said, removing her arm from his hold. She turned and he was in front of her, apparating directly in front of her path. "Careful, sir, someone of lower birth might see you," she said snidely._

_He grabbed both her arms and said, "They are of lower birth! If I could kill every last non-magical person, or people who obtain there magic without a birthright, I would!"_

_She had tears forming in her eyes. He thought he hurt her, but he did not care. He wanted her to see the folly of her ways. She said, "So, you would kill me if I was not of pureblood?"_

"_Yes, I would kill you if you were not of pureblood," he answered steadily. He let go of her arms._

_She stood in front of him and said, "Take your wand then, kind sir, and do what you may. The Hufflepuffs found me when I was a very young girl. I had been caste out of my real family, because they were afraid of my abilities and of what I might become. The Hufflepuffs brought me here, to be one of their own. I am not of pureblood, I may not even be of half-blood, hence according to you, I do not deserve my magic. Kill me. Kill me now." She shut her eyes and put her arms out, as if she was receiving death._

_He was taken aback. He could not believe that a girl who appeared to have greater magical ability than any witch he had ever seen would be of non-pure blood. She lied. He grabbed her arms again and shook her hard. She opened her eyes and tears began to fall. He said, "You lie, you silly girl. You must be a pureblood. You must!"_

_Through her tears, and as his assault continued, she said, "Why? Why must my blood be pure?"_

"_Because, I would know if you were not a pureblood! If what you say is true, I would hate you!" He stopped shaking her and ran off, toward the hillside. She ran after him. _

"_Please, stop!" she called out and he did. He turned back around. "You do not know of what you speak. You cannot hate me. You may not tolerate me. However, I know you do not hate me. What say you? Are you so cruel, and hate me so, that you would tell such lies?" Now she turned and started running back down the hill, and across the field. He was going to let her go. Let her think he hated her, when the truth was something much different. He loved her. He had yet to admit it even to himself. He did not want to love her, especially if she was not a pureblood, and now, he was ashamed of his feelings. Yet, he ran after her._

_He spun her around and took her shoulders once more. "I despise you! You are incorrect. I do not lie! I could never love you!" he shouted. She was crying freely. Her tears broke his cold dark heart. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her. "Now I lie. I do love you. I do not want to, even more so now that I know the truth of your birth, but I can no longer deny my feelings," he spouted. Helga looked up at him as he released his grasp on her arms. His hand went to her tear soaked cheek and rubbed away a tear that had escaped her eye. He bent his head and kissed the salty tear. He put both hands on her face and said, "You need to run away from me, little girl. I will cause you nothing but heartache and pain. I am a wizard of great complications. I would only hurt you."_

"_It's worth the pain, for I love thee, as well," she admitted. He brought his mouth to hers, and started to kiss her, stopping suddenly._

"_Helga, know this. If I fall in love, I love forever," he declared._

"_Then you should know, I cannot change my blood," she redeemed._

"_I care not. I only know that I love thee!" he said, suddenly bringing her tight in his embrace, and crashing his lips upon hers. She tasted liked Elderberry wine. She was a gift from the gods, and he would not let her go, now, or ever. She was his and his alone, for all time._

_A Parting of the Ways:_

_After that day, he ignored her again. She was confused. He confessed his love for her, but he once again barely acknowledged her existence. One afternoon, Godric was speaking to her under a massive oak tree, and told her that he and Salazar would soon be leaving._

"_You cannot leave me!" she cried out, standing up. He stood as well._

"_My friend, we have been imposing on your good family for 30 days now. We must be on our way. Our journey is only over when we find the land for our school," Godric said, bringing his hand up to clasp hers._

"_I want to go. Please, you know that is my dream as well," she said._

"_My sweet Helga, you are but a slip of a girl. You just turned 17. It would be improper for you to come with us, besides the way will be rough and long, with many dangers from the outside world, of which your parents have so rightly protected you. I would not want you to be in any danger, because of me," he said, releasing her hand. He said, "Though, I dare say, I will miss you very much, since Salazar will once again be my only company."_

"_Did someone say my name?" said Salazar, apparating by the same tree. He looked over at Helga, and saw that she was close to tears. "My good friend Godric has upset you, sweet Helga. Has he told you that we are leaving?" _

"_Do not make fun of my pain, sir," she said, turning to face Godric. _

_Godric smiled at her and said, "I will let you two say your farewells," and he left them quietly. She still had her back to Salazar._

_He walked up behind her and said, "You will miss him, will you not?" _

_Without turning to face him she said, "I shall miss you both." He was standing so close to her back, that he was touching her. His breath was on her neck. _

_He whispered in her ear, "You will miss me, my dear maiden?"_

"_I shall," she confirmed. He put one arm around her body. His hand went up to her cheek, and he leaned her head back to his chest. Helga turned suddenly in his arms, and saw that he was smiling. "Do not make fun, sir. My feelings run deep, even if my blood is not pure."_

"_I was not making fun, I can assure you," he said, as his eyes turned dark and his expression somber. He put his hand up to her face once more, caressing it gently. "There is one way to make sure that you shall not miss us," he said._

"_How?" she beckoned._

"_Come with us," he simply said._

"_Godric said that it would be improper, and not a welcome journey for a lady," she said with her eyes still very sad._

"_Godric likes to think he knows everything, but his knowledge of you is quite limited. I would never underestimate you. Your knowledge of magic surpasses even my own. I think you should come. You should tell your father and mother goodbye, and leave with us this instant," he suggested._

_She smiled widely. He wanted her to come! She said, "I will only come, if you promise me that you will not hate me any longer."_

_He stepped even closer, if that was possible, and put his arms around her waist. He looked down in her deep green eyes and said, "I love you, my dearest. I shall love you forever. I can no longer deny my love for you. You must come with us, for I shall not leave without thee. You are mine. I am yours." He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently, on her open palm. "Go, tell your parents now. I shall tell dear Godric." She waved after him to go tell her parents goodbye._

_It took much convincing for her parents to allow their precious Helga to journey with the men, however, they knew she was destine for better things. She had a chance to fulfill her dreams, and they would not stand in her way. Godric was not as easy to persuade. He felt that a long journey, with an uncertain fate, was not proper for his good friend, however, he saw that his two friends were in love, and they deserved their chance at happiness._

_They traveled for four months, all the way to the hills of Scotland. Along the way, they garnered more followers. A few people from Helga's village decided to travel with the trio. Then, along the way, with each village they traveled, they would find more and more followers. Soon, there were at least 20 wizards and witches who wanted nothing more than to help these three form their school._

_One night, as they set up a camp near a non-magical village, Helga traveled into the forest to forge nuts and berries, as the others hunted for game. When she returned to the encampment, she was alone. She decided to reinforce the magical barriers that Godric himself had put up. She was walking along the outer edge of the circle of trees, when she caught sight of a group of men. She could tell immediately that they were Muggles. She was sorely afraid, and tried to hide in one of the tents. She only hoped that the protective spells, as well as the concealment charms, would keep her hidden. Her hope was lost when one of the five men walked up to one of the tents and went into the structure. How did he know it was even there?_

_He went into a second tent, and then a third. He was searching for inhabitants. Helga was in the fourth and last tent. She stood as still as she could, as she saw the man enter. He looked around the tent, picking up things here and there. So far, her concealment seemed to be working. He walked out of the tent, and she lifted the charm._

_Just then, he entered the tent once more and took her by her arm. "What do we have here? Are you one of those little witches? We heard from a sorcerer in the village that a group of wizards had set up tents here by our homes." He grabbed her hand, before she could reach her wand. He dragged her outside._

_The group passed her around, tearing at her clothes and calling her terrible names. They said they were going to burn her at the stake. She screamed, even though she knew in her heart that all of her friends were too deep in the forest to hear her scream. She was wrong._

_Salazar was on horseback riding back to the tent. He feigned illness to the other hunters, so he would have an excuse to come back to her. He had not been alone with her since the journey began. He had not felt her lips since the day they left her parent's farm. As he approached their campsite, he saw four men. Suddenly, a fifth man came walking out of a tent, with Helga in his arms. He saw them laughing, and passing her around. A few even tried to kiss her. He saw red, blood red. He would not let anyone soil his lovely Helga. He came down upon the men, and before they knew what happened, he sent out the death curse, and killed all five with one curse. He rushed to her side, as she was crying out of embarrassment and pain. He picked her up and put her back in his tent. He laid her on the bed, and summoned a blanket. She was inconsolable._

"_Did they harm you?" he asked._

"_Are they dead?" she asked back, instead of answering his question._

"_Yes, I killed them, and I would kill them again," he said. "Now do you believe me when I say that non-magical people are dangerous, and they should all be killed?"_

"_Not all non-magical people are like those men," she said, trying to sit up. He pushed her back down._

"_Helga, open your eyes to the evils of this world. I tell you, they are. They are alike. They want us all dead, so we should kill them first," was his explanation._

_Suddenly, and with out warning, she sat back up in the bed, and tried to leave him. He scared her more than those men did. He would not let her leave. He took her arm and laid her back down, as she cried. "What type of monster have you become?" she asked, "You are worse than those men! You did not have to kill them! You could have used magic to disarm them!"_

"_Your magic didn't help you, did it? You had a wand, and still, they would have overcome you, raped you, and killed you!" he said, angrier than she had ever seen him. The fact that he was right upset her more than the fact that he had killed them with no remorse._

_Helga cried. She put her face in her hands and could not stop crying. She did not even know as to why she cried. He sat beside her and said, "I told you once I am a complicated man. I told you I would cause you pain, and for you to run away. I can not be all goodness and happiness, like you and Godric." Now, he hung his head. She knelt on the ground before him, and put her hands on his face. _

"_I am grateful you saved my life, and thank you," she said. She kissed his cheeks, first his left one, and then his right. While still holding his face, she kissed his lips tenderly. She looked up at him and for the first time in his life, he felt shame. He knew she wanted him to be more than he was, and for once, he wished for the same._

_He leaned over and kissed her gently on her long exposed neck. His hands went to her long blond hair and intertwined in her soft, curly, locks. Nothing in his life could compare to the woman before him. He lifted her up as he stood, and his mouth traveled to hers. He kissed her lovingly, gentler than he had ever been with anyone. She responded by opening her mouth under his. Soon, broad shoulders and long graceful legs were enveloped by the others hands. Desire rose from the depths of their souls, and they responded in kind. He kissed her hungrily, with want. She gave in to the feeling he invoked._

_Without knowing how it happened, her robes joined his on the dirt ground of the tent. He pushed her back on her bed, and with his wand put a shield charm over the tent. His fingers traveled over her goose pimpled flesh. She blushed. He knew she was a virgin. It mattered little. He was going to marry her after this. His hands traveled to her bare breast, and he was in awe at the sight of the witch in front of him. His mouth moved with his hands, and she cried out in ecstasy. They came together gracefully, as if one. He could not remove his eyes from the woman underneath him. She caressed his shoulders, and stared deep in his eyes as well._

_As they continued, her soft whimpering in his ear sounded like a cannon exploding in his heart. Nimble fingers continued to touch places that begged to be touched. A seeking mouth continued to seek peace upon her body, and eventually her soul. After their lovemaking, he wrapped his arms around her, certain that this was the woman he was meant to love and protect, for the rest of his life, and her blood did not matter._

_Later that night, after the others joined them back at the camp, Salazar fought with Godric. He told him that they were not safe. He chastised him, and told him that that his protective spells nearly cost one of his friends their lives. Godric told him the only danger Helga was in was from Salazar himself. The fight nearly ended in a wizard's duel. Salazar left the encampment, to calm down. When he returned, it was very late at night. He approached Helga's tent, and with the light from inside the tent, he could make out two people. He approached quietly._

"_Helga, I love you both, but you know I speak the truth," Godric said._

"_He loves me, I know he does," she said._

"_He's a danger to you. He thinks a person of your birth is beneath him. He may act as if it does not matter at first, but it will always be between you. His prejudice runs too deep," Godric said, taking his friend's hand. "What matters to you, does not matter to him. Do you know he only means to teach purebloods in our school?"_

"_I don't believe that," Helga stated, although she did._

"_Aren't you the one who told me he said if he could kill all magical children without magical parents that he would. Children, Helga!" Godric shouted._

"_He would not!" Helga shouted back._

_As Salazar stood outside her tent, he knew they were both right, and how could that be? He went to his tent, and left them, without a word. When they awoke the next morning, they found he was gone._

_The Battle:_

_Helga walked through the battlefield. She was going to give herself to the Darians. Enough people had lost their lives. She sent a letter to Salazar, professing her love, and apologizing for whatever she did to make him leave. She told him that she was leaving, and it no longer mattered. She did not want a future if Salazar was not with her. She did not know what she did to make him leave her all those months ago; she only knew that he left in the middle of the night, without a word of farewell. If she must give her life now, for her friends, than at least she did so without regret, for she had a man whom she loved, and who at one time, loved her. _

_The eldest Darian saw her from afar. She was walking, unscathed, through the battle. He had instructed his brothers to leave her alone, for she was his. Before he could reach her, however, an errant spelled hit her square on the back, and she stumbled, and fell. _

_Salazar was never more than a day's ride from the other two, well, now three, as they had found a new person to share their dream. Perhaps their new dark beautiful friend was to replace him. He knew they finally found the sacred land that they needed for their school. He had also heard, from other wizards, that this land was guarded by dark, evil wizards called the Darians. Godric was a fool. He was leading them to harm. He was always a fool._

_He was riding fast on his horse, trying to reach them, so he could fight with them in the battle. He saw Helga's owl circling high above him. He stopped, and retrieved the letter from its leg. She was sacrificing herself for noble reasons, be damned! He lost her once; he would not lose her again. He followed a back trail, over the mountain, where happenstance led him to see one of these Dark Wizards carrying his beloved on his horse. She appeared close to death._

_Salazar watched as the wizard walked into a cave with her body. The Dark Wizard caste a spell, so no one could enter the cave. This dark wizard thought he could keep Salazar from his love, but no one could. After the wizard left, Salazar was able to disarm the charms, and he entered the cave to find her. She was on the cold cave floor, barely alive. He thought he was going to lose her. He could only do one thing to preserve her life. He touched her forehead, and asked her if she could hear him. She was barely awake, but she smiled. She was happy she could see him once more before she died. He took a sacred cup out of his saddlebag. It was a cup passed down through many generations in his family. He had already used magic to put his name on one side, and hers on the other. He wanted to use it as a wedding chalice, to bind them for all time. Now, he would use it as a vessel to contain their souls, so their love would never die._

* * *

Draco woke up that morning, and Hermione was already gone. He knew she had slept well, for she had not woken up once. He even felt her kiss his cheek as she went to shower that morning. He smiled. He sat there for a moment and remembered his dream. At least it was just a dream, and nothing more. He would tell no one. It had to end, and he would see that it did, even if he took the details of the dream he had to his grave. He trotted off to the shower, pleased that they would finally have their life back. He stood in the shower and let the hot water waif over his body. As he stood there, he thought about his dream. He marveled over the fact that Helga was so like Hermione, and he was similar to Salazar. He finished his shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He stood in front of her mirror, wiping the condensation from the glass. He looked at his reflection, and frowned. What was that small round imprint on his shoulder? It looked familiar. He had seen it somewhere before. When he finally remembered that he had seen it on the cup, in his dream, he got dressed and went to search for Granger.


	7. Part VII

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

_  
_**Part VII: October**

An Autumn Walk:

The leaves were falling, swishing around their feet. Hermione and Draco were spending some much-needed time alone. Teaching, even just five grades, was more difficult than Hermione thought it would be. Draco did not have it any easier, since his relationship with his mentor had became strained as of late, at least on Malfoy's part.

At least all the dreams and night terrors had ceased, for both of the young lovers. Draco finally confided to Hermione his dream. He told no one else. Hermione kept his secret. After all, his dream was merely a manifestation of the story they had already heard, combined with all the stress he had been dealing with concerning her. At least that is what she convinced herself. The truth may have been different, but neither delved further into the complicated story to find out for sure.

Hermione, who was walking behind Draco on the path, picked up a long, willowy, stick and swatted Draco's leg with it. He turned and chased her down the path. He caught her by the waist, and swung her around. He threw her on a pile of leaves that had accumulated by the side of a large tree. He came down on top of her. His hand was on the top of her jumper, holding her down by the shoulder. His other hand went to her face and dropped a pile of leaves right in her mouth. She sputtered and spit out a twig or two, causing joyous laughter on his part. She sat up, while he was now on the ground laughing, and she said, "You are so mature."

"Yes, I am, aren't I?" he claimed. He pulled her over to him, and placed her on his lap, as he sat with his legs folded in front of him. "So, Granger, guess what?" he asked.

"Do I have to?" she reeled.

"Just ask me what," he said.

"Is it something good?" she pried.

"Goodness sakes, Granger. Just say, 'what?', and you will find out," he said, tickling her under her knee.

She squirmed on his body, and he pushed her off, and held her back on the ground. Another handful of leaves dangled close to her face. "Either ask what my news is, or get another mouthful of leaves," he warned.

She shut her mouth tightly and moved her head back and forth. That would be a no. He threw the leaves behind him, leaned his whole body on top, and kissed her tightly closed lips. "Ask," he said, leaning down and kissing her again. Her mouth relaxed. She was so stubborn. He let one hand creep up her jumper, and the other held her cheek. He put his body on top of hers and kissed her again. He put little kisses on her mouth, playing with her lips. Soon, her lips parted naturally. He sunk his tongue deeply in her mouth, and rubbed it erotically over the roof of her mouth. She started tingling everywhere. He kissed the side of her mouth, and gently bit her lip.

"What is your news, Malfoy?" she finally asked, as a look of contentment washed over her features.

"We are invited to the Ministry's Halloween Masquerade, to be held two weeks from today," he answered, helping her to sit back up.

"And what do we owe this fine honour?" she inquired.

"Well, I am who I am, and you are an acquaintance of mine…" he began and she pushed him down on the ground, straddled him, and picked up a handful of leaves. He put his hands up to defend himself.

"Acquaintance?" she shouted, opting to put the handful of leaves down the collar of his shirt. He pushed her off, gently, and lifted the shirt from the front of his chest, so the leaves would fall out.

"Fine, you are my close friend," he amended. Without warning, she jumped on him again, and he seriously was taken off guard. He fell back on his back, and she ground her elbow in his chest. "OUCH! Get off, Granger. You've gotten so fat!" he bellowed.

"I'll show you fat," she said, coming down hard on his body. He put his arms tight around her back, and her hands went to both side of his face. "Am I really just your close friend, my love?" she asked before she bent down to kiss his neck. Her mouth moved up his jaw line and to his rough cheek, with its stubble rubbing against her cheek. She always liked that.

"Do you want to hear the rest of my story, now?" he asked, as she continued to kiss his face.

"No, I want more kissing," she said. She kissed his mouth at last, a long, wet, wanting kiss. She lifted herself slightly, so she was lying completely across his long hard body. They both loved the feel of his hard muscles against her soft, lithe, frame. She put one leg between his, and put her head on his chest. Finally, she said, "Okay, finish telling me about the Mask."

"Well, now I don't think I can," he said, his voice coming out with a hitch. "I am seriously aroused. Let's go find a pine tree, with low lying branches, and have a good shag."

She hit his chest and finally moved off him. She lay by his side, with her head on his upper arm, and her hand on his chest. He said, "As I was trying to tell you earlier, before I was so rudely attacked, I was invited to the Ministry's Halloween Mask, and the invitation was for me and a guest. Would you like to be my guest? It will be a nice diversion, get away from school, and all the snot nosed little kiddies."

She sat up and said, "May I see this invitation when we get back up to school?"

He sat up and said, "Why do you want to see it?"

"Curious," she said.

"I actually have it with me, here," and he reached in his pocket and handed her the invitation.

She looked at the invitation, which was addressed to both of them. She exclaimed, "I think when an invitation actually has two people's names on it, it's more than just for one of the people and a guest, Malfoy." She hit him over the head with the invitation.

"So, are we going?" he asked.

She stood up, and tried to hand him back the invitation, which he refused. She put it in her pocket, and said, "Sure, I already told Harry and Ginny we would meet them there. We are all going to get ready at Shell Cottage. Ginny has already picked out all of our costumes."

He looked up at her and said, "You already knew about this?"

"Of course," she answered. She bent down, picked up some leaves, and threw them over his blond head. She ran away from him at a full sprint. He stayed where he was. She could not get far, he reasoned. She was too out of shape.

He was right. When Hermione saw that Draco was not following her, she stopped running and sat down on the path to wait for him. She ran her fingers through her hair, to remove any remains of foliage left there. After a few minutes, he still had not come to join her; she stood up and called for him. When after a few more minutes, and he neither joined her on the path, nor answered her call, she walked back the direction she had just run, to find her errant fiancé.

She walked back to the tree she had left him under and yelled, "Malfoy!" She looked up, to make sure he was not about to jump down and scare her. Where was he?

Draco's Quandary:

As soon as she ran off, he decided to give her a few minutes head start, and then he would run after. She could not get very far ahead, not with her short little legs, he thought with a smile. He stood up and brushed the leaves and twigs off his clothing. He then shook his head, to make sure it was clear as well.

He started to walk down the path, to join Hermione, when he heard a voice, calling his name. The voice did not sound like Hermione's voice, but who else could be calling? He ran in the direction of the voice. He crossed a little creek bed, which was mostly dry. He ended up on the other side, and he finally called her name, "Granger!" When she did not answer, he was quite annoyed. Where did she go? He decided to cross back over the creek, and go back to the path. She was probably trying to be coy, and play a trick on him. Frankly, he was not in the mood. He set back off to cross the creek bed once more, when he heard the wayward call once more. It definitely was not Hermione; however, the voice was definitely calling his name. The voice said, "Draco, come to me." He was not even sure if the voice was female. He was not even sure it was human. He looked around at all the tall trees. During their walk, they had ended up pretty deep in the forest. He did not care about the voice. He wanted to get to Hermione, immediately. He sensed danger. He took out his wand and said, "Point the way to Hermione." The wand moved in his hand and pointed back toward the way he had come. That was what he thought.

Hermione walked back to the tree. Draco was gone. Where could he be? She went to call his name, but caught a sight of him, walking further up the path. She ran to catch up to him. He maintained a great distance from her. She called to him once, but he did not even look around to acknowledge her. She stumbled over a tree limb, and twisted her ankle. She sat on the cold hard ground, massaging her injury. She took out her wand and said, "Point me to Draco." Her wand pointed toward the way she had come, instead of the way she saw him walk. What did that mean?

For some reason, Draco had become lost in the woods. He could not even find the path. It was only around 2:00 pm, but it was getting darker, as the trees became denser. He sat on a large rock, and decided to catch his bearings. He took off his jumper, and wrapped it around his waist. He rolled up his sleeves. He took out his wand again and said, "Point me to Hermione." This time, his wand did not even move in his hand.

Hermione was lost in the woods, and was unable to walk due to a sprained ankle. Damn Draco Malfoy. Why did he not follow her? He was probably trying to scare her, so he went off in a different direction, probably laughing his arse off, and now she was lost. She asked her wand once more to point toward Draco. This time, her wand did not move. She lifted her wand in the air, and sent up red sparks. She hoped that he would see. If help did not come soon, she would send a message to the school, with her patronus.

Draco saw red sparks. He ran in the direction of the sparks, but then he saw her. She was in the other direction, nowhere near the sparks. Could someone else have sent that warning? He called her, "Granger, stop!" but she looked back at him, waved, and kept on running. So, she was playing a little game, was she? He took off running after her. She was soon running up a hill. He was out of breath, just trying to keep up with her. Maybe she was in better shape than he gave her credit. The hill was so steep in places that he had to hold onto bushes or ferns to pull him up. He reached the top of the hill, and saw her entering a small cave in the side of the rock.

Hermione was becoming anxious, more anxious by the minute. Her ankle throbbed, and she could not stand without pain, which made walking difficult. She decided to send out her patronus. She did not know whether to send it to Bill, who would be likely to lecture her, or to Don, who was not on the best of terms with Draco. She sent it to Don. She told him that she had become separated from Draco while they were on their walk, and she hurt her ankle. Next, she sent another patronus to Draco, telling him that she would send up red sparks every five minutes, and please to come find her.

Draco was about to enter the cave, when he saw more red sparks down below. Someone was apparently in trouble. As soon as he found Hermione, and yelled at her for playing games, he would go find the person setting off the sparks and help them. They would just have to be patient, for Hermione had to come first. He lit his wand and called her name again. The opening of the cave was short, and he had to duck down to enter. He saw a large area, at the front of the cave. Where was Hermione? He was about to call out for her, when his wand light went out. Next, Draco felt a sick, faint, feeling. A warm feeling wafted through his body, and he tasted a copper taste in his mouth. The worse thing to happen was the smell. He smelled sulfur and salt. He could not fight the feeling any longer, and he threw up, right in the cave. He sunk to his knees, and passed out.

Don Boot was outside, at the dig site, with Nick and Paul, when a silver otter patronus came swimming by his head. He recognized it as Hermione's right away. Her voice came from the patronus, and after her message was delivered, it disappeared. He turned to Nick, who heard the message as well. Don said, "Go get Paul. Follow me, but as soon as you are away from prying eyes, become wolves." Don took off in a run toward the woods. As soon as he could, he became a wolf and followed Hermione's scent. In only a matter of minutes, his brothers were on his trail.

They found her in no time. At first, she was startled at the sight of three wolves, but she quickly knew it to be 'her wolves'. All three changed back into men as soon as they arrived by her side. "What happened?" Don asked, kneeling beside her and touching her swollen ankle.

"We were on a walk in the woods, and we had stopped by a tree. I ran on ahead, and left Draco by the tree," she explained, "I thought he would join up with me, but he never did. I went back, and I thought I saw him, even though my wand pointed that he was in a different direction. I sent him a patronus as well, but I'm afraid something bad has happened to him."

"Paul, take Hermione back to the dig site. Nick, we have to find Draco. Hermione, do you have anything with his scent?" Don asked. She retrieved the invitation from her pocket. The two men took the invitation, and both put it to their noses. He handed it back, and soon, wolves once more, they were running down the dark path, toward the deep woods.

Paul lifted Hermione as if she weighed nothing, and walked with her back to the dig site.

Draco woke up, but still felt very sick. He lifted his head, and what he saw could only be described as a vision, for it could not be real, yet he clearly saw a body, not a ghost, not a spirit, not a spectral, but a full bodied person in front of him. He knew right away that it was Salazar Slytherin. He sat up, and wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. Salazar was administering to Helga Hufflepuff, who appeared to be wounded. He had out his wand. He began to recite a healing spell. Nothing seemed to help the girl, as she appeared close to dying. The man kneeled by the woman's body, and yelled to the heavens, a rasping, heart breaking, scream. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms, and told her please, not to die. He was crying over the woman, sad, anguish tears. Mournful tears. Perhaps the history books were wrong. Maybe Helga did die that day, up in that cave, her life taken in a battle for the land for Hogwarts.

Next, Draco saw Slytherin stand. He took his wand and said words, which sounded like ancient Gaelic, or some other ancient tongue. He took a small golden cup, a cup Draco knew well, and put it beside her body. He pointed his wand at himself, and a sliver of mist, not quiet white, but not clear, came from his body, and entered the forged metal of the cup. Draco next saw Salazar fall in a heap by Helga's body. After that, everything went black, for both of them.

Irony, thy name is Draco and Hermione:

Don and Nick Boot ran up the hill as fast as their wolf legs could take them. Once outside the cave's opening, they returned to human form. Don entered the small opening first, and then Nick. Don saw Draco just within the cavity. He appeared unconscious. He dragged the man to the mouth of the cave. Nick levitated Draco's body back to the site.

If she could have run to him, she would have. Nick laid Draco next to Hermione in one of the tents. Don Boot pushed everyone aside. He said a spell to revive him. After only a second or two, Draco woke up. "How do you feel?" Don asked.

"Sick," Draco admitted. A wave of nausea hit him again, and he tried to maintain his dignity by taking two large breaths. He abruptly became aware of his surroundings and asked, "Where's Hermione?"

"I'm over here," she answered from the other cot. The brothers moved to the end of the cots, so the two could hold hands.

"Are you hurt?" he asked. She must have been, otherwise, why was she lying on a cot?

"Just my ankle," she answered, "I looked everywhere for you. I called for you. I even thought I saw you and tried to follow, but I don't think it was you."

"I did follow you," he said, "up to a cave."

"That wasn't me. I think I broke my ankle, and believe me, I wasn't in any cave," she said to him. She looked up to Don. She looked worried. Don asked both his brothers to leave them. He could fill them in later. He asked Draco to tell them everything, so he did.

"Do you think that Salazar put a piece of his own soul in the cup?" Draco asked when he was done with his tale.

Before Don could answer, Hermione said, "If that was the case, wouldn't it have been released along with Voldemort and Helga's souls?"

Don looked concerned. He said, "I don't know what to believe or to think anymore. Perhaps he thought Helga was dying, and he didn't want to live without her, so he put a piece of his soul in the cup, to fend off death, but that wouldn't explain how a piece of her soul came to be in the cup. She would have had to kill someone, and performed the ritual, and from what you've said, she was too weak."

Hermione surmised, "Perhaps she recovered, and then did so at a later date, although from all that we've learned about her, I don't see her killing someone. Could Salazar have put a piece of her soul in the cup?"

"No, I don't think so. She would have had to do it," Don declared.

Draco sat up. He still felt slightly ill. He put his feet firmly on the ground and said, "Maybe she really did die that day. Maybe the history books had it all wrong. I still do not think that explains why he would create a Horcrux, though. I don't know, and at this time, I don't care. I need to get to my room. I feel like I've been run over by a herd of hippogriffs." He stood up and said to Don, "will you help me and Hermione get back to the castle?"

Don agreed. Don helped Draco walk to the castle, by putting his arm around his waist. Draco put his arm around Don's shoulder. Paul came up to Draco's other side and did the same. Nick carried Hermione the whole way. They took them to the Hospital wing.

The Medi-witch concluded that they both should spend the night. Hermione's ankle was fractured, so it would take a day or two to heal. Draco was severally dehydrated, although since he said he was only sick the one time, the nurse was confused as to why. She told him a night in bed with a few of her potions should make him feel all better by tomorrow.

It was after dinner. A small elf brought Hermione and Draco both trays with food. They were in beds next to each other, but had not yet discussed what happened.

Hermione took a bite of beef and said, "Good beef."

"Yes, the potatoes are good as well," Draco said dryly. They continued to eat in silence, until Hermione decided to break it.

"Draco," Hermione said. He looked at her. "Why do you think these things are happening to us?"

"I don't know," he said, looking back down at his plate, and moving his food around with his fork. He decided he wasn't hungry. He put the tray on the floor and pulled the covers up. "I don't want to talk about it anymore tonight," he said.

"We have to," she urged, "We aren't even doing anything to provoke the visions now, and yet they are coming."

"I don't want to talk about it," he said sterner, with his back to her.

"What would it hurt if we just try to get this over with? Have Nick help us contact Helga and Salazar. Find out what they want," she said, putting her tray on the bedside table, and turning to sit on the side of her bed.

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT!" he yelled, sitting up to face her. "What part of 'I don't want to talk about it', do you not understand?"

She gave him a sad look and said, "I'm sorry," and she got back under the covers, and turned to her side. Now she wasn't facing him.

He felt so out of control. It was bad enough when he had to deal with her visions, and her injuries, but now, if things were going to happen to both of them, how could he stop it? He looked over at her, and could tell she wasn't sleeping. He climbed out of his bed to lay down on hers, on top of the covers.

"I'm sorry, Granger," he said, kissing her cheek, and pulling the back of her body as close to his chest as he could. "I'm scare, all right? I don't know what to do, and I don't know how to protect you, if I can't even take care of myself. Do you understand? Just let me think some things over, and then we will figure it all out together." He put his hand on her hair, brushing it away from her face. He kissed her cheek once more. She turned in his arms, so she was facing him. She put her fingertips across his fringe of bangs. She leaned in and kissed his lips.

"We were having a perfectly wonderful day, too," she almost whined.

He smiled and agreed by saying, "Yes, and we were just about to shag under a pine tree. Damn that bloody Salazar."

Hermione laughed and tucked her head in the crook of his neck. She put her hand on his heart and said, "It will all be okay. We will be okay."

"I hope so," he answered, rubbing his hand up and down her arm.

"So, you will never guess what costumes Ginny found for us," she said.

"What?" he asked, and then he added, "See, you asked me a 'guess what' question, and unlike you, I was a normal person and said, 'what'."

She faked a frown and pinched his arm. He frowned for real, for she actually hurt him a bit. She said, "You will find the irony almost alarmingly funny, I am sure," she said.

"As long as the costumes are Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin, I don't care. I will even go as a troll or a house elf," he laughed.

She merely raised her brows. He looked sternly at her and said, "I am not going as Slytherin and Hufflepuff! That's like asking fate to come and knock us off our feet!"

"Fine, I'll be Slytherin and you can be Hufflepuff. You would look very pretty in a gown," she snickered.

"Tell me you are seriously joking!" he said, sitting up on her bed.

"Ginny thought the four of us could go as the four founders. The excavation gave her the idea," Hermione reasoned, "Harry and she has no idea of what's been going on here. I haven't told a soul, and I told Bill not to."

"I'm not doing it, Granger," he said, not as angry, as he lay back down beside her. "I really think that would be saying, 'come and get us spirits!', and I for one don't want to ever have what happened today happen again. I can't have anything happen to you, either, understand?"

"It is a medieval theme, though," she said.

"Fine, go as a court jester, and I will go as a knight," he said, yawning.

"I don't care what we go as," she agreed, finding his yawning contagious. She closed her eyes and rested her head back on his chest. She sighed.

"Is your ankle hurting?" he asked, opening his eyes.

"No, I just never want to leave your side," she said. Without looking at him, but now wide-awake, she started drawing circles on his chest, with her finger. "Draco, I think we should go ahead and get married. We can still have our official wedding in the summer, but I don't want to wait."

"What brought this on?" he asked, bringing her face up with his finger to force her to look at him. She stared at him and put her hand on his face.

"We could share a room, officially, if we go ahead and get married," she said.

"We could just keep getting hurt or sick, and share a bed here in the hospital wing," Draco joked, "Poppy doesn't seem to mind."

"I'm serious," she said, "unless you've changed your mind about marrying me," she added, to make him feel guilty.

"That's rubbish. We will talk of this later. Let's get some sleep now, little one," he said, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. She shut her eyes, but could not sleep, even when she heard the steady breathing of her true love sleeping by her side. She looked at him several times that night, before finally going to sleep. She did not mind when her life was in danger, but the thought of him in harm, or being hurt, or killed, was almost too much for her to handle. She could not survive without him.


	8. Part VIII

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

**Part VIII: Before the Halloween Masquerade:**

Playing Make Believe:

"Come here, Hermione!"

Hermione looked toward the person who had just barked out that command. She ran full speed ahead, and landed in the arms of Harry Potter. He hugged her so hard she almost could not breathe. He had not seen his best friend of almost ten years in over four months, and he missed her so.

Hermione said, "Harry, let me go!" He let her down with a laugh. Ron came walking out of the Burrow, eating an apple, and as soon as he saw Hermione, he dropped his apple and ran up to her, also to give her a great big hug.

Draco felt rather like the outsider. He was the outsider. Ginny Weasley reminded him of that over a year ago, one time at Shell Cottage. She told Draco that in many ways, she and he would always be outsiders when it came to Hermione, Harry and Ron. Finally, Ron put Hermione down and waved over at Draco, who was coming up the walk, right behind Neville.

"Won't this be great?" Hermione said, enthusiastically. "All of us together again, just like old times!"

"Yes, it's one big Gryffindor love-fest," Draco said, moaning.

Neville said, "What do Slytherins do when the reunite? Hiss at each other?" Everyone laughed at Neville's joke, well, everyone but Draco.

Bill came walking out of the house and said, "So, Mum has dinner almost ready. After dinner, Hermione and Draco can come and sleep with us at Shell Cottage, and then tomorrow we can all meet back here and go to the Masquerade together."

Harry looked crestfallen. "I really had hoped that Ron and I could sleep with Hermione tonight."

Both Ginny and Draco gave Harry odd looks. He said, "What?" He did not know what he had said wrong. Bill and Ron laughed and Hermione was about to explain it to him when Mrs. Weasley stuck her head out of the door at that exact moment and said, "its cold out here, dears. Come in and wash up for dinner."

Draco leaned over to Hermione and said, "There will be no sleeping with Pothead, and especially not with Weaselbee!"

Hermione said, "You know what he meant. Anyway, I have not seen them for so long, with their training, and my teaching. Let's all stay here together tonight, all right?"

Draco said, "I will go to Shell Cottage, and you can stay here with your little boyfriends." He seemed angry and went to sit down at the table. She knew the real reason for his irritation. Hermione had not told Ginny to change their costumes, and now it was all but too late to change. To ensure that all guest had different costumes, each invitee had to have their costume approved by the Ministry. They could either go as the four founders, or not go at all. He did not want to go at all, but Hermione had been whining all week, so he finally gave in, he would go as Salazar Slytherin, but no one could make him happy about it.

Hermione sat down, leaned over to him, and took his hand, which he promptly removed from her grasp. She whispered, "Are you still upset about our costumes?"

"Gee, what made you figure that one out?" he said, antagonizing her.

Bill sat down, as Ginny and Harry started to set the table. "What are your costumes?" he asked.

Hermione bit her lip. She was afraid to tell him. Before she said anything, Ginny looked at her eldest brother and said, "We four are going as the four founders, Harry as Gryffindor, I as Ravenclaw, Hermione as Hufflepuff, and Draco as Slytherin."

Bill, aware of everything that had been going on, was upset, to say the least, when he heard the latest discovery: the fact that Hufflepuff's cup may have been used as a Horcrux by more than just Voldemort. He had kept quiet to everyone in his family, save for his wife, out of respect for Hermione. Therefore, the news that they were going as Slytherin and Hufflepuff upset him as much as it did Draco.

"No," Bill said, "that won't do."

"Why not?" Ginny asked, "I mean I know it would make more sense for Hermione to be Ravenclaw, but I wanted to wear the dark wig. Hermione would look smashing as a blonde-haired person. It would be a change for us."

"That's not what I meant," Bill said, his face looking stern.

Harry, who had always been a keen observer of what people did not say, as well, of what they did, felt there was something more to this. He asked, "Why can't we go as the four founders?"

Bill looked at Draco, and then to Hermione, and said, "You haven't even told Harry yet?"

Hermione, who was going to ignore Bill for a moment, said to Draco, "Maybe Harry will trade with you and you can go as Gryffindor."

At the exact same time, Harry and Draco said, "No way!"

Draco said, "I would rather die than go as Gryffindor, which is a distinct possibility, you know."

Harry asked, "Please, tell me what the ferret means by that statement."

Hermione leaned over Draco and took Harry's hand. "I'll tell you everything, tonight, I promise."

The dinner was stressful after that. Mr. Weasley and George could not attend, but the other participants, Fleur and the baby, Ron, Ginny, Neville and Mrs. Weasley, were not oblivious to the fact that Draco and Hermione seemed ill-at-ease with each other throughout the entire meal. Hermione helped Mrs. Weasley clean up, and Draco decided to go back to Shell Cottage with Fleur and the baby.

As they were getting ready to leave by floo, Hermione walked up to Draco and said, "Are you sure you won't stay here with us?" She hoped he would.

"I would rather someone cut off my testicles and feed them to a two headed snake," he said dramatically.

Harry, who heard the exchange, slapped Draco on the back and said, "That could be arranged, for I know where I can find a two headed snake."

Draco and Hermione both glared at Harry, as Draco shrugged Harry's hand off his back. Hermione leaned over and said, "Are you going to at least kiss me goodnight?"

"No," he said, as Fleur left with the baby.

"Please," she said, softly.

He rolled his eyes and said, "If I must." He walked up to her, put his right arm around her waist, and kissed her lips coldly. She frowned. He said, "Fine," and he kissed her again, with warmth and love. He put one hand up to her cheek and finally said, "Have fun tonight in your little ménage a trois." He removed his hand and gave her a crooked grin, and left for Shell Cottage.

Hermione stood by the fireplace, deciding she would spend a few hours with her friends, and then go back to Draco later. It was not only the right thing to do, but it was what she wanted to do.

Harry Potter and the Tale of the Founders:

Harry and Ron sat idly by while Hermione and Bill filled them in on the happenings of the last few months. Neville and Ginny stayed in the kitchen, hanging on to every word they said. While Ron looked shocked, and mildly annoyed, Harry Potter looked angrier than Hermione had ever seen him in her entire life, and that was saying something. After the tale of the founders was completed, Harry stood up and left the room.

Ron said, "Wow, what are you going to do, Hermione?"

"What do you expect me to do, Ron?" she said, taking his hand. "We aren't really in control here." She then looked at Bill and said, "Do you think I should go after Harry?"

Bill shook his head 'no', but Ron said, "No, mate, I think she should. He is angry about the whole Horcrux thing, and the thought that his friend is in danger. He doesn't like it when he is not in control, and he cannot protect the people he loves. She should go and tell him it will be all right."

Hermione looked at Ron and said, "But it might not be all right, and to say that to him would be a farce and fallacy." However, she stood and walked upstairs to find her friend.

She walked into the twin's old bedroom, to find Harry, stone-faced, sitting on one of the beds. She came to sit beside him. He immediately stood, crossed the room, and slammed the door shut. He turned to face her so quickly and she was frightened. He walked up to where she sat in two short strides and picked her up by her shoulders. He shook her hard.

"What right do you have to mess with things like this? Do you realize what danger you are putting yourself in, messing with Horcruxes and people's souls? Do you?" He was shouting to her the whole time he was shaking her. She started to cry. He did not care. He pushed her back and she stumbled down to the bed. She curled into a ball, and continued to cry. She expected him to be somewhat angry, but his fury caught her off guard.

Bill came up when he heard her crying. He opened the door, only to have Harry Potter slam it shut once more and seal it with a locking spell. Bill shouted through the door, "Harry, be reasonable. She has no control over the events thus far. Nothing has even happened in the last two weeks. Open the door!"

Harry walked up to the door and put his forehead on the wood, taking two deep breaths to calm down. "Please, leave us for a moment, Bill," he implored.

Bill said, more for Hermione than to Harry, "I'll be right outside the door."

Hermione remained on the bed, with her face hidden in the bedspread. Harry felt worse than he had felt in a long time. He was angry, and he meant to take it out on her, but now he felt remorse. He came up to the bed and kneeled down on the floor. He reached over and stroked her hair. "Hermione, forgive me, please."

She turned to look at him, and sniffled. She sat up; he grasped her hands in his, and put his head on her lap. She withdrew her hands from his and put them in his unruly black hair. She bent down and kissed the top of his head. He looked up at her, and then came to sit beside her on the bed.

"I never wanted you to have to destroy the cup, you know," he said.

Hermione said, "Is that what's bothering you? Harry, you knew from the beginning that we were all in this together. It was never meant to be your journey alone. Ron and I were there to help you."

"And now who's there to help you, Hermione?" he asked.

"Draco, Don Boot and his brothers, and Bill," she answered.

"That's not good enough," he said, standing to cross over to the window. He looked out into the night sky and said, "I want all of my friends to have a better life than they had before. Why did we all go through the trials and tribulations, if it's never going to end?"

Hermione came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Harry, this has nothing to do with Voldemort. Whatever is going to happen is going to happen. I don't believe we did anything to start it, and I don't believe we will be able to do anything to stop it."

Harry turned around quickly and said, "So, you think that Helga Hufflepuff's spirit would have still contacted you, even if you hadn't destroyed the cup!" He was angry, and he continued, "Do you think Malfoy would have had his visions and dreams, if he wasn't connected to you? It all comes back to the bloody cup, which comes back to Voldemort, which lays the blame right at my feet!"

She backed away from him and said, "Tell me something, Harry, is it hard always being the martyr?"

"Yes, it bloody well is!" he sneered. "Now you tell me something, Hermione, is it hard always being the victim? Is it hard always being the little know it all? Is it hard always being right?"

"You are out of line, Potter!" she barked. She rushed up to him and pushed him as hard as she could. He grabbed her wrist.

"Tell me something else, Granger!" he mocked. "Why did you tell me if you don't want me to react? If you don't want my help?"

She tried to pull her wrist from his hand, but he would not let go. "I didn't want to tell you for exactly the reason that I see before me! Now, let me go!" He let go of her wrist and she headed toward the door. It would not open. She turned to him and said, "Unlock the door, you stupid prat!"

"You are so smart, unlock it yourself!" he shouted, throwing himself on one of the beds and turning toward the wall. She tried to unlock the door with her wand, but it still would not open. She turned to face him once more, she saw him point his wand behind his back, and he said a spell to release the lock. He did not turn around, but remained facing the wall. She opened the door, to find Bill, Neville and Ron in the hall, staring at her in shock. She was crying again, and she said, "Bill, I want to go home with you."

Bill took Hermione's hand, and they walked downstairs. Ron and Neville joined Harry in the room and he sat up and looked at his friends and said, "Don't say a word to me." He ran down the stairs to stop her, but she had already left.

The Night before the Ball:

They arrived in the living room at Shell Cottage. Bill bent down and gave her a kiss on the forehead, and then handed her bag to her. "Draco is staying in the extra bedroom. He was originally slated to sleep on the couch, and you were to take the extra room. If you will not tell, I will not tell, so go on upstairs to bed, Hermione." Bill smiled and went into the other room. Hermione, taking her luggage in her hand, walked up the stairs.

Hermione turned back around once she reached the landing and looked down the stairs once more, for no particular reason, and then went down the hallway to the door of the extra room. She knocked lightly. "Draco, it's me."

He opened the door just a crack, but did not let her in. "Did your date turn out badly?" he asked. He meant it as a joke, but he saw she looked sad, upset, so he opened the door the rest of the way. He reached down for her bag and she came in and sat on the bed. He sat beside her. "What happened? Why aren't you with Potter and Weasley?"

"Bill and I told Harry and Ron the truth, and Harry took it very poorly. He was so mean to me, almost cruel," she said, turning her head to look at him.

He was sure she was overreacting, and was going to tell her as much, until she leaned into his body and started to cry. He wrapped his arm tightly around her and put his free hand on her face. "Shall I go thrash him for you?"

"Thrash?" she asked, with a smile.

"How would Slytherin have said it? I'm trying to get into character," he smiled.

Hermione fell backwards on the bed, and stared up at the ceiling. He fell back on his side, facing her. He put his hand on her stomach and tickled her. She barely smiled. He leaned over and kissed her lips. He placed sweet little kisses on her mouth, as his hand came up to trace the lines of her lips. He would kiss the corner of her mouth, and then trace her lips. He would kiss the top lip only, and then trace her lips. He repeated this until he had kissed her four or five times, all around her mouth. The last time, he kept his lips to her and applied more pressure and force. She happily opened her mouth to him. He intensified the kiss as his hand went to her breasts.

Hermione brought both hands up to his neck, to the back of his head, to hold him closer. She squirmed to lie completely on the bed, and he followed. Hermione reached over and unbuttoned his shirt, at the exact moment that he slipped hers over her head. Clad in only a bra from the waist up, he looked at her intimately. Her skin was smooth and like porcelain silk. He moved the bra straps down, and kissed her now exposed breasts. He kissed one breast, and then he would lay his tongue flat against the whole areola. He swirled the tip with his tongue, bringing it to a hard point. He did the same to the other. Her hands were stroking his shoulders and back. He stood up swiftly, to finish undressing. She did the same and then joined him under the covers.

Draco used his wand one last time to perform a silencing and locking charm. He looked down at her pretty face and said, "Do you know how much I love you? Let me count the ways." He kissed her lips and said, "One, I love your red, luscious lips. I love them when they pout, and I love them when you bite down on the bottom one. I love them for the pleasure they give me when they kiss me back and for the pain they sometimes inflict when words exit them." She laughed at that.

"Two," he continued, "I love your neck, so long, smooth and sensitive." He bit her neck gently, and then gave it a long lick. Then he said, "Three and Four are apparent. They are two of my favourites." He kissed first one breast, and then he lean over and stroked the other with one with a long, even, lick of his tongue.

"Five, your beautiful, flat stomach, and the way it rises and falls with each breath you take, and the way it trembles when you laugh," he said, as he brought his hand to travel down her stomach. He dipped his tongue in her navel, in which to watch her laugh. That never failed to make her laugh.

He sat up on the bed and his fingertips gently traveling down one arm. "We will count both arms as number six. I love the way they wrap around my body and hold me tight when we embrace. They show me how much you love me." To demonstrate, her arms went up to hold him. He leaned down to kiss her mouth again.

He sat back up and said, "Your beautiful, graceful, downy soft, legs. What can I say, that is not already apparent?" He moved his hand down her thigh, to her knee, and over her calf. The second leg, he moved his hand under the calf, under the knee and on the outside of her thigh, coming to rest on her hipbone. He said, "What number are we on, Granger?"

"I've lost track, but it might be seven, if they are a pair like my arms were," she said, breathlessly.

"Seven, definitely seven," he said, kissing the inside of her thigh. She moaned slightly.

"So you love me only for my physical attributes?" she asked.

"Of course," he smiled, resting his chin on her stomach.

"Just wanted to make sure," she said.

He climbed back up her body and kissed her once more, as his hand moved effortlessly between her legs. "Can this be number eight?" he asked, moving his hand overtop of her gently. She could not respond. Her eyes were shut, and her head turned to the side. She bit down on her bottom lip to keep from screaming. He kept a steady pressure, and as he started to elicit small noises from 'number one', he said, "Do you want me to show you how much I love you?"

"Yes, please," she said, straining to keep composure.

When her hips started to move with his hand, he entered her with his fingers. She cried out, and started to climax. He removed his hand and replaced it with another part of his body. He shut his eyes, concentrating on what they both needed. They needed each other; more than either needed air to breath. As they both reached their crescendo, he said, "I love you, I love you so much!"

"Oh, Draco," she could barely say.

He continued his movement back and forth, and her legs contracted and she cried out once more. He finally ceased moving, and lay quivering on top of the woman he loved, until he decided to roll over, bringing her to be on top of him. Hermione put both hands on his chest and rested her chin on top. She put her head flush on his chest, and listened to his beating heart. She started to cry.

He was not even aware of her tears until he felt wetness on his chest. He said, "What's wrong, little one?"

"I don't want to ever lose you," she said, not looking at him. He moved so she was back on the mattress, on her side, facing him.

"You won't lose me, ever. Poor, Hermione, but don't you realize that you are stuck with me forever?" he said softly, kissing her tear soaked cheek.

"Promise?" she said.

"Nothing but promises for you, little one," he said, "now, no more tears. Let us get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a big day." Hermione shut her eyes, but did not fall right to sleep, and neither did Draco. They both remained awake for a very long time. No words passed between them, but occasionally one of them would caress the other, or place a simple soft kiss to the others face. Finally, as the night was about to turn to dawn, they both slept, with no dreams, at least for that moment in time.


	9. Part IX

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

**Part IX: The Masquerade: Halloween Night:**

Who is who?

Harry arrived at Shell Cottage very early in the morning. Bill and his family were not at home. Draco was in the shower, and Hermione was in the kitchen having tea and toast. Her hair was still wet, from her shower, and she was still in her robe. Harry apparated to the front door. He would have just flooed directly to the living room, but he did not want to upset Hermione any more than he already had last night. He knocked on the door. Hermione put down her teacup and went to see who was there. She peeked out the little window, and saw Harry outside. She debated whether to open the door. He knocked again and said, "Hermione, I saw you look out the window. Will you let me in?"

She opened the door and walked back to the kitchen. He followed. "Where's Malfoy?"

"Shower," was her clipped response.

"Oh," he answered, "well, I came to talk to you, anyway. I want to talk about what happened last night."

"I don't," she said. She put her cup in the sink and washed it. She dried it and put it away. Mostly, she was stalling. She was waiting for an apology. Unknown to Hermione at the time, she would have to wait forever, for he had no intention to apologize. When she finally realized this, she turned back around from the sink and said, "Well, I should go get dressed."

She moved past him and he put his arm on the door jam, and she moved to walk under it. He moved it down. She tried to push him away, but he would not move. "What do you want, Harry?" She was tired.

"I want you to say you will not pursue this," he said.

"Fine, when I see Helga the next time, I will tell her that my friend Harry said for her to leave me alone. I am sure that will work. The next time I wake up with strange bruises or scratches, I will tell you immediately so you can pummel the unknown assailant. And I will tell the next founder who etches their symbol in my stomach that they will have to answer to you. Is that all?" she spouted.

He stared at her and said, "Yes, that about covers it." He was not amused with her attitude. She finally managed to push past him to the other room. She passed Draco on her way up the stairs, but did not look at him.

Draco walked in the kitchen and said, "Stop bullying my girl, Potter. I was angry with her in the beginning as well, but she has done nothing to encourage this, and so she has done nothing to deserve your wrath. Give her a break."

Harry looked at the floor for a moment, and then back to Draco. "Listen, Malfoy, do you want to trade costumes? I really don't think you should go as Slytherin."

"I would rather face the unknown, than go as Gryffindor, Potter," Draco said, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"Fine, it's your funeral, but know this," Harry said, coming back in to the kitchen, "If something happens to Hermione tonight, I will hold you personally responsible."

"I would expect you to, you stupid wanker," Draco said, glaring at the other man. Draco put his cup down and said, "Let me worry about Hermione. I will take care of her from now on. I release you from your guard duty."

Harry was not exactly happy with Malfoy's attitude either. "I will never like you, Malfoy, but until Hermione comes to her senses and kicks your arse to the curb, I'm stuck with you. Take care of her," Harry seethed, and he walked toward the front door.

Draco walked behind him and said, "I love you, too," and he slammed the door shut. Harry did not even turn around to acknowledge him. Draco walked up to their bedroom. He knocked on the door, but did not wait for an answer. He let himself in. Hermione was looking out the window, watching Harry leave. She turned and smiled a sad smile at Draco. He smiled back.

"Potter wanted to trade costumes," he said.

"That wouldn't have made a difference," she answered. He pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms tight around her body. She laid her head on his chest. Stupid Potter. How could Potter think Draco would let anything happen to Hermione?

Draco said, "Let's not go tonight. I have a bad feeling. I have a feeling something sinister is going to happen. Please, can we spend a nice quiet evening here, all alone?"

She said, "I heard what you said to Harry. We haven't done anything to encourage this, so go or stay, something might happen, or it might not. Also, so far, everything has happened at Hogwarts. I don't think anything will happen here."

"I wish once in a while you weren't so stubborn," he said with a sigh, kissing her forehead.

She looked up at him and said, "And I wish once in a while people would trust me. I have a good feeling about tonight."

Draco said, "Fine, we can go to the stupid Halloween ball, but if anything happens, it's on your head, not mine."

Hermione laughed and said, "I will take full responsibility and blame, but seriously, what could happen here?"

Later that day, Ginny, Ron, Neville and Harry came over to Shell Cottage to get ready for the Halloween Ball. The girls got ready in the baby's room. Draco got ready in the bathroom and Harry, Ron and Neville got ready in the extra bedroom. Harry arrived downstairs first. Harry laughed at Bill and said, "Who are you?"

"King Arthur and you know my lovely wife, Guinevere, right?" Bill said, holding Fleur's hand.

Fleur said, "I am taking Victoire to your mother's and father's. I will see you all there."

Bill said, "Are the other's ready?"

"I have no idea," Harry said, uncomfortable. He had not said a word to Hermione or Draco since he arrived. Thank goodness, Ron and Neville came down next. Harry laughed and said, "Who are you supposed to be, Neville?"

"Sir Nigel Eichehorn, also known as the father of Herbology," Neville said.

"Of course," Harry said, laughing, adding, "And Ron?"

"Lancelot, since Bill is King Arthur, I thought it would work," Ron said, pulling at his tights. Harry could not suppress his laugh. "I didn't know the Weasley men looked so attractive in tights," Harry joked. Draco walked downstairs next, dressed in all black robes, his blond hair temporarily black.

"Salazar," Harry greeted Draco.

"Godric," Draco acknowledged back.

Ginny called down the stairs that she and Hermione were coming. All five men watched Ginny as she walked down the stairs, a vision of loveliness in dark blue robes, and long dark tresses. "You look wicked," Ron said.

Harry smiled and kissed her cheek. "Beautiful," he said, "Where's Helga?"

Just then, Hermione walked downstairs. She had gold robes, which sparkled when she walked. She had charmed her own hair to a soft, honey, rosy, blond. She had Helga's signature rings on her hands, an emerald ring on her left, for Slytherin, and a ruby ring on her right, for Godric. She had a gold crown, with a thin billowy veil in the back. All the men stood with mouths agape. She said, "Am I all right?"

"Perfect," Ron said.

"Wonderful," Bill said.

"Beautiful," Neville said.

Harry did not say anything at first. He came up to her, took her hand, and put it to his lips. "You look very pretty. I'm sorry for everything. Will you forgive me, Sweet Helga?"

Hermione smiled widely and said, "Certainly, dear Godric, for you are my best friend." She turned to Draco and asked, "Do you approve?"

Draco did not know what to say. He was without words. She was more beautiful than he had ever seen her and he felt as if his heart was bursting out of his chest. He merely took her hand and apparated them both to the Burrow.

The Belle of the Ball:

There must have been over 200 people in the ballroom. Witches and Wizards of all ages, and lifestyles, were in elaborate costumes, all with either black or white mask on their faces, hiding their identities. It was good to be able to celebrate again. It had been a little over two years since the downfall of Voldemort, and the Wizarding world finally felt they had a reason to celebrate. The ballroom, decorated with streamers, balloons, and beautiful floral arrangements, was magnificent. With everyone in his or her costumes and masks, Hermione was unsure who anyone was. If she had not seen how everyone in her group was dressed before she left, she might not have known who was who.

Bill reserved them a large round table. They all sat down. Neville went to find Luna, who was there somewhere with her father. Ginny made Harry get up and dance. Ron went to get some food. Bill and Fleur went to find some of their friends. That left Draco and Hermione alone at the table. They weren't even sitting next to each other. Hermione felt someone touch her shoulder. She turned around, and it was Paul Boot. She knew it was he, for he removed his mask after touching her arm.

She stood up and gave him a hug.

"You make a lovely Helga Hufflepuff, Hermione," Paul said.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"No one in particular, just traditional medieval garb, I suppose. Don and Nick are here somewhere, with their dates," he said, sitting between her and Draco.

"Who are their dates?" Draco asked.

"Do you remember that one cute redheaded archeologist? Well, Don finally grew a pair and invited her, and Nick has a long time girlfriend he's here with," Paul said, throwing his mask on the table.

"You are supposed to leave that on, you know. Part of the fun and all," Draco said, not meaning a word he said.

"Yes, I can tell you are having a barrel of laughs," Paul smiled. "When you two put your masks back on, I'll put mine on," he added, picking up Hermione's white half mask, and then dropping it back on the table. Draco stood up, leaving his black mask behind, and excused himself. Paul asked Hermione "Is something wrong with him?"

"I don't know," she said honestly, "He was upset yesterday about our costumes, so maybe that's still bothering him. I just know he really does not want to be here. I guess I forced him to come."

"I was surprised, and not in a good way, when I heard what you both were wearing, I must say," Paul said, leaning over and touching her blond hair. "Oh, it's real. I thought it was a wig, sorry." He laughed and so did she.

"Where's your date?" she said.

"There's no one for me, don't you feel sorry for me?" he grinned as he told her this.

She responded with, "No, I don't feel the least bit sorry for you, for you could have any witch in this room. You are very good looking and quite the catch."

"You think?" he asked. He pointed toward a pretty woman and said, "How about her?"

Hermione chuckled and said, "That's Bill's wife, and you know it."

"How about her?" he asked, pointing toward Ginny.

"Too young for you," she said, "and Harry Potter would probably hex you." He put his hand to his heart, to show that she wounded him. He pointed at her.

"Me?" she asked.

"Sure, why can't I have you? You're not someone's wife, and you're not too young," he pointed out, leaning close. She felt no threat, for she knew he was just playfully flirting.

"I'm taken, by Salazar over there. Besides, you wouldn't want me, too complicated," she said, adding, "You are one of the best looking men here, so just go up and ask some wrench to dance, fine sir."

"You are the best looking woman here, and I will only dance with you, if you think Salazar won't kill me," he said, standing.

Draco was behind him and said, "Did someone say my name?"

"May I dance with your beautiful lady?" Paul asked.

"Might as well, I don't intend to dance tonight," Draco mumbled. Hermione gave him a dirty look and stood up. She handed Paul his mask, put hers on, and joined him on the dance floor.

She danced a few dances with Paul, and then one with Ron, one with Bill and one with Harry, who hated to dance, but he saw it as the perfect opportunity to make things up to her. After her dance with Harry, she went outside to get some fresh air. She saw Don Boot on the balcony.

"Hello, Mr. Boot," Hermione said.

"Is that Hermione under that blond wig?" he asked with a smile.

"It's me, but it's my real hair," she said, removing her mask.

"No wonder my little brother has been monopolizing you all night. You look very pretty," he said, kissing her cheek. "What's wrong with Draco this evening?"

"He's just him," she said, somewhat morosely.

Don put his hand on her arm and said, "When he sees that nothing bad will happen tonight, he'll come around."

"The evening will be over by then," she complained.

"Give him time, he loves you so much," he said, moving his hand up to her shoulder. He leaned closer and said, "We all do. Now, put your mask back on and go join the ball, before it's over." He kissed her once again and walked back into the ballroom.

Who is behind the Mask?

She remained on the balcony for at least 30 minutes. When she finally started back inside, the room was very dark, with the only light coming from the stars that decorated the ceiling of the large room. A very slow song was playing. Hermione could not see very well, and she looked toward her table. She saw Draco walking toward her, so she stayed near the door. He took her hand and ushered her back outside. He started dancing with her, without saying a word. After the song was over, she reached up to remove his black mask, but he stopped her. Another song started, a waltz, and they remained on the balcony, dancing.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked him. When he didn't answer, she figured he was still upset.

He was swinging her around swiftly, twirling, twirling, and twirling. She was fast becoming dizzy. She said, "Draco, stop, I can't dance this fast."

He did not stop. Instead, he danced her almost to the end of the balcony. The ballroom was on the third floor of the building, so the balcony was up very high. The night wind was cold on her skin, but she was perspiring, from the rapid movement of the dance, and from fear, though she did not know why she felt so afraid.

Hermione was frightened that perhaps this was not Draco. Why wouldn't he respond? Why wouldn't he talk to her, or remove his mask. He danced her up to the half wall of the patio, and held her slightly over, so that she was leaning dangerously close to the edge of the railing. She said, "Draco, stand me back up, I'm afraid."

He said nothing. He continued to dip her low, and he reached down and removed her mask. He threw it aside. He took off his and he bent to kiss her lips. He kissed her fiercely and as if driven by an unknown force. She tried to push him off her, but he would not retreat.

When he finally stopped kissing her, he still had her tightly around her waist. She was breathing hard. She had a tear run down her face. He was scaring her. She looked into the face of the man she loved, but she saw someone else in his eyes. He reached down and wiped away her tears. "Why do you cry, Helga? We are together again."

"You're scaring me," she said, "Please, let me go."

"I will never let you go," he said, "I told you that before. You are mine forever. Why were you dancing with all those other men?"

"They asked me, and you didn't," she said, trying to move out of his hold. "You told me you were not going to dance tonight." She continued to pull away from him.

"Don't fight me, Helga. I've come so far to find you again," he said, in a voice that did not sound like his own.

"Please, Draco, let me go," she said.

"Why do you keep calling me Draco? Who is Draco?" he said, with a set look on his face.

Her breathing became ragged, and her voice hitched. She put her hand to his cheek and said, "What's your name?"

"How do you forget the name of your true love? I'm Salazar," he said.

"Draco, this isn't funny, stop it this instant!" she said, pushing away from him.

Hermione managed to escape his arms, and she tried to run away. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. He said, "You have fallen in love with another?"

"Yes, I love Draco. Draco, I know you are in there, listen to me," she cried, as he was pulling her arm up high behind her back, "please, you are really hurting me!"

"I am tired of this! I have come to you so many nights, to try to explain to you why I've come back. You refuse to listen. You always force me to hurt you! You refuse to accept who I am. I know who you are! If it is true that you no longer love me, and you love this man named Draco, than know this, I will kill him!" he shouted.

Just then, Don Boot came out on the balcony. She yelled, "Don, Help Me!"

He stared at them for a moment, not realizing anything was wrong. He looked at Hermione's frantic face, and then at Draco. Draco looked at him, and Don knew immediately that although it was the body of Draco Malfoy, it was someone else's eyes looking back at him. He drew out his wand and rushed the pair, but Draco had his wand out first. He pulled Hermione to his body, and said, "One more step, and you will die. Leave us alone! I won't let you hurt her again."

Don said, "You are the only one hurting her. Let her go. She is not who you think she is. This is not Helga, and you are not Salazar. Leave now!"

Draco shouted, "No, you are one of the Darians. You killed her once; I won't let you kill her again. I finally have her back. You won't take her!"

Don shouted a spell at Draco, but the spell seemed to bounce right off his body.

Draco roared in anger, a loud raging scream. Harry and Nick Boot came out to the balcony to see from where the scream came. Don yelled at them to step back. Harry tried to rush to Hermione, but Draco shouted, "You were supposed to protect her, Godric!" and he sent a silent spell toward Harry, sending him flying through a glass door. Shards of glass went everywhere. Draco stepped up on a chair, and then up to the ledge of the low wall, forcing Hermione to follow, as he still had her in his grip. The next thing happened so fast, that the others hardly had time to react. Draco jumped, pulling Hermione with him. Harry Potter yelled her name, as Don and Nick Boot ran to the edge of the wall, to look down.

Don reached the wall in time to try to say a spell to cushion their fall. It did not help. Hermione lay sprawled out on the pavement under the balcony, motionless, lifeless. Draco stood up, unhurt, now very aware of his surroundings. He looked down at Hermione's broken body and started to yell out in an agony that was now all his own. He picked her up and started to rock back and forth with her, as Don and his brothers, as well as Bill, apparated down to the lower patio. Ron stayed and assisted Harry, who had lacerations all over his body.

Bill had his wand out at Draco and said, "Back away from her." Draco drew his wand and pointed it at all the men.

Draco yelled, "Who did this to her? Who pushed her?"

"You did. You jumped with her," Bill said.

"NO! I would never! I would die before I hurt her!" Draco shouted, still holding an immobile Hermione.

Everyone started shouting at once. Aurors began to arrive on the scene. Draco could not hear anything anyone said. The last thing he remembered was going over to get something to drink, and Hermione dancing with Paul Boot. Then, he woke from his stupor, and he and Hermione were lying on the cold, hard ground.

Bill shouted once more to Draco, but Don said, "It wasn't him. I know this doesn't make sense, but I was there, and I'm telling you it wasn't he that jumped with her. I think it was the spirit of Slytherin."

Nick said, "Draco, put your wand down. We must get Hermione to St. Mungos."

Draco nodded, and lowered his wand. Two Aurors from the Ministry came up and took him by his arms. He did not understand anything that was happening. Don said to Nick and Paul, "I will go with Draco; you go with Hermione and Harry to the hospital." He leaned in closer and said, "Remember, we must protect them. Don't let anyone hurt them." Nick nodded. Paul looked as white as a sheet. He did not acknowledge that he heard, so Nick took his brother's arm and apparated them both to St. Mungos, where two other Aurors had just taken Hermione.

Draco was confused and upset. He didn't know what he had done, and he was very worried about Hermione. Don Boot had to convince the Auror department that what happened was an accident. He told them that Draco had too much to drink and was fooling around on the ledge. He said that Hermione was trying to get him to come down, and that the fall was an accident. He said he witnessed the entire thing. When asked what happened to Harry Potter, Don said that he saw Potter fall backwards into the door, but had no idea how it happened.

Since Don, Nick and Harry Potter were the only witnesses, and Potter and the second Boot brother only saw what happened at the end, they had no choice but to chalk everything up as an accident. They allowed Don to take Draco with him, and told him charges may be pending after a full investigation.

Don and Draco went to St. Mungos, where they were greeted by Nick and Paul. Draco felt as if he was in a dream. One of those terrible dreams they both had been having, only with this one he could not wake up. He sat down on a chair, and hung his head in his hands. Bill walked up to the men and said, "Harry will be fine. He had numerous lacerations, which they healed. He doesn't remember hearing Draco recite a spell, so he said he wouldn't press charges. He understands what's going on with Draco and Hermione right now."

Draco looked up, afraid to ask about Hermione. Don Boot did it for him. "What about Hermione? Are her injuries severe?"

"Yes, they are. She has a broken leg, and a fractured neck, although thank goodness there's no spinal injury. She hit her head very hard, and has a concussion," Bill said. Draco stood up.

"Is she awake?" Draco asked.

"Yes," Bill answered.

"May I go see her?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, Draco, but she said she doesn't want to see you, not right now. She did tell me to tell you that she was sorry, and that it was all her fault. She does not blame you at all. I think she is still just a little afraid. She said she only wanted to see Nick," he said, truly sorry.

Draco walked down to the nearest bathroom. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. He took his wand and changed his hair back. He removed the black robes, and stood there in a t-shirt and black pants. He didn't take his eyes off his own reflection. What type of monster had he become? How could he have hurt her like that? She was afraid of him now, and rightly so. Why did she say she was sorry? What did she do? What blame could she claim? He took his fist and hit the mirror, shattering it in an instant. He looked at his hand; it was broken, with blood flowing freely. He didn't even mind feeling the pain. He deserved more pain than that. He should jump off the nearest balcony. Don came in the bathroom, saw the mirror and Draco's hand. He shook his head in disappointment, and said, "We have to get you out of here."


	10. Part X

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

**Part X:**

Draco Alone:

Draco could not sleep. No, that was not the truth. Draco could sleep, he was just afraid to sleep. When he and Don arrived back to the castle, they visited the hospital wing first. Madame Pomfrey fixed up his hand in no time. He was told to go back to his room, and finish out the night, but he would not do it in bed. He needed sleep. He needed something to numb his mind from what he did. Instead, he opted to roam around the castle.

He ran into two fifth year Slytherin students. It was 1:00 in the morning. They thought he would go easy on them, him being who he was, and they belonging to what house they belonged. They were sorely mistaken. Little did that know that this particular night, Draco hated everything to do with Salazar Slytherin, even the students in his house, so he gave the two boys a week's detention with Filch.

He roamed up the Astronomy tower. He even contemplated jumping for a brief moment. He really did. Maybe he would break his leg and his neck. It would be only fair. Reciprocation. He looked down to the ground, and decided he would probably kill himself. He might come back up later.

He roamed the dungeons. He opened the door to his office, and contemplated mixing a potion that would help him sleep. On the other hand, maybe a poison. No, he would not do either, not yet. Anyway, even the sleep potion would not help him. If he was going to hurt someone, not someone, his fiancée, when he was awake, what might happen in a deep dark sleep?

He roamed up every staircase. Maybe he could catch his leg in between the moving, grinding stones of one of the moving staircases. He might break his leg. That would be the least he could do. Break his leg.

He was exhausted. The sun was starting to come up, and he had traveled every square inch of all seven floors of the castle. There was nowhere else to go. He was more tired then he had ever remembered being, but he was still too afraid to sleep. Did it matter if he slept? Did anything matter without her? Was this what Slytherin felt when he thought he lost Helga? He did not even want to think that. He would not feel sorry for that monster.

He went and took a hot shower, almost falling asleep twice under the stream of the water rolling over his tired muscles. He stood there forever, just thinking about her body, on the ground, lying in that strange angle, and how helpless he felt, for he did not know how it happened. He did not know how they ended up on the ground. 'Help them, someone', that was all he remembered thinking. He jumped with her. He tried to kill her. He was no longer in control, not just figuratively, but literally. What if he killed her the next time? He put his head back under the water, and let the hot stream of water wash away the tears that were running down his cheeks. Why must life always be so hard? Surely, he was being punished for all the wrong things he had done in his life. She did not deserve to be punished as well.

He dressed and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. He could hear the murmurs and whispers of the students as he passed.

"Did you hear what happened to Professor Granger?'

"My dad said, once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater."

"Someone said he pushed her."

"I thought they loved each other."

The voices echoed through his head. He sat down at the table, and drank some coffee, trying to focus on staying awake. Don came and sat next to him. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"No," he said.

"May I ask why?" Don asked.

"I'm afraid to fall asleep, plus, I want to see her. I want to see her so badly it hurts," he said, hanging his head.

Don took some toast from the table, and some fruit, and grabbed Draco by the arm. "Come on, you are getting some rest." Draco was too tired even to fight.

Don started to take Draco to his room, but Draco said, "Can we go to Granger's room?"

Don nodded, and walked him to Hermione's room. Draco said the password, and stumbled into the bedroom. He threw himself on the bed, directly on his stomach. He slept, dreamless, for nine straight hours.

When he woke up, he looked at the clock on her dresser. It was 4:04 pm. He slept a long time. He needed to visit the loo. He sat up, and noticed her bedroom door was shut. He heard voices in the other room. He went to the bathroom first, and then came to stand beside the door. He listened to the voices carefully. It was the Boot brothers.

Paul said, "We have found other artifacts that seem to point to the same thing. There is a chamber, deep in the ground, with carved writings on the wall. It may have been the chamber he used. I am almost sure my hypothesis is correct."

"Don't say anything to Draco right now. He's got enough to worry about," Don said.

"I think we need to get to the bottom of this. I would like to put him under hypnosis. See what comes from it," Nick said.

"You saw how that turned out with Hermione," Paul said.

"We will make sure he's perfectly safe," Don said, agreeing with Nick.

Draco stayed as still as he could, so he could continue to listen.

Paul asked, "Why do you think Salazar appeared at the ball? And how?"

Nick confessed, "That has me confused. Every other time, there was a conduit, a link, the cup, the cave, the cylinder, the runes. Maybe the scars on their bodies are the link to the spirits now."

"What scars?" Don asked, "I knew Hermione had a scar, the Hufflepuff symbol, but I didn't know Draco did."

"Bill Weasley told us about that at the hospital," Nick said, "Apparently Draco and Hermione told Harry and Ron everything and that was part of the story. It appeared on his shoulder the night she was hypnotized. I think it happened when he tried to touch her, when she lifted in the air. Slytherin's spirit was definitely there that night."

"Why didn't he tell me?" Don asked, perturbed.

Paul said, "I think he's in denial. He thinks if he ignores things, it will go away."

Draco decided to show himself. He opened the door and said, "I tried to kill my fiancée. The person I love more than life itself. I do not think I am in denial anymore. I will do whatever you all want me to do, to stop this. Help me, please."

Hermione Alone:

That night, the night of her accident, Bill told Nick that Hermione wanted to see him. The truth was, he had not seen her alone since that night weeks ago, that night he hypnotized her, and he talked to 'Helga' in person. He walked in her room. She looked so sad and alone on that big hospital bed, all by herself. He knew that she did not know a certain fact about him, for she always thought it was Don, but he was the wolf who guarded her the most two years ago. He felt a connection to her, even then. He wanted to protect this pretty, smart, amazing woman, but not only because he had made an oath to his poor little brother. He wanted to because he had come to care for her. All of them had.

He sat in a chair by her bed. She appeared to be sleeping. He touched her hand. "Hermione, you wanted to see me?"

She could not turn her head, for it was immobilized with a strange looking contraption, because of her broken neck. She opened her eyes, and he stood from the chair, so he could look down at her.

"Nick, how is Draco?"

"I don't know," he admitted, "Don went with him to the Ministry, but I haven't talked to them yet. He is out in the hall if you want to talk to him later. We will work very hard to make sure he is not charged with any crime."

"It wasn't him!" she said.

"I know, don't worry right now," he said.

"I can't see him right now," she said sadly, "I feel it's my fault. He knew something was going to happen tonight, and I made him come to the Ball anyway."

"Hermione, listen to me," Nick said, stroking her arm, "what happened would have happened. I am convinced of that. I think you two have a strong enough connection to the two founders' spirits now that you do not need to be at Hogwarts and you do not need an old cup or something to bring out that link. I think it has to do with your scars, and also with how close you two are with each other."

"How did you know about Draco's scar?" she asked.

"Bill Weasley told us," he answered.

"I need you to do something for me. Try to convince Draco to go under hypnosis. Try to help him find out what Slytherin wants. I think Slytherin thinks Helga died that day in the cave. Well, I think the real Slytherin knew she did not, but I think that part of his soul does. We also need to know if his spirit was released from the cup, when Voldemort and Helga's souls were released. Convince him it's the only way," Hermione finished.

"I'll try, Hermione," he promised. "Can I do anything else for you?" She said no, so he touched her forehead, and then her cheek, and said, "We will watch out for him, don't worry." He turned and left her room.

Hermione stared up at the ceiling, for she had nowhere else to look. She started to cry. She was scared. Not for herself, but for Draco. She knew he must be beside himself with guilt and worry. She wished she could be with him. She should see him, but she was riddled with guilt and worry. What would she say to him? A simple sorry was not enough.

She hoped he would not do anything rash. If he felt all was lost, and he thought he was all alone again, it was hard to tell what he might do. The Boots would be there for him. She wanted to be there, as well. She changed her mind. She needed to see him. She would hide away her guilt and pretend everything was fine. She would even tell him she forgave him, even though the truth was she felt he had done nothing that needed to be forgiven.

She called out. "Can anyone hear me?" Bill stuck his head back in the door.

"Do you need something, sweetheart?" he asked, coming to her side.

"I need to talk to Draco now," she requested.

"He went back to the castle with Don," he answered. He did not want to tell her about his hand.

"How was he? Tell me the truth," she asked.

"Not good, but I will personally bring him to see you tomorrow evening, okay? You rest now," he said, touching her hand gently. He walked back out of the room.

She lay there, wide-awake, and in a great deal of pain. One of the healers came in and said, "Do you need something for pain?"

She lied and said, "No, I'm fine. Can you tell me if Harry Potter is still here?"

"He's outside your room," the man said, "Do you want me to get him?'

"Please," she answered.

Harry walked in the room. She could not yet see him. She did not know that he had been injured. When he walked into her line of sight, she saw little cuts and abrasions on his face. He touched her hand, and she could tell his was wrapped in a bandage, as was his other hand. "What happened to you?"

"Salazar thought I was the real Godric, and he hexed me through a glass door," Harry said.

"Oh, Harry, I am so, so sorry!" Hermione cried out. Harry stroked her cheek and leaned down close to her face, as close as the strange thing around her neck would allow.

"It's fine. I know it wasn't Draco. Paul and Nick have explained everything to us, about their theory with the scars and all. I know he wasn't responsible, and I know he wouldn't really hurt you," Harry said, "but, that makes it even scarier, doesn't it? If Salazar was been able to hurt you all along, every night in your dreams, and now he had a body to return to, how might he do to harm you now? You cannot go back to that school. Until this is over, you can't see Malfoy, either." It was not a request, it was an order.

Hermione did not want to fight with him. She decided to take that pain medicine after all. "Harry, go get the healer. I need that pain potion now," she said.

He left to get the healer. Hermione started thinking of ways she could stay at Hogwarts, and keep Harry happy, and herself safe.

The healer came in and gave her the medicine. She found herself drifting off to sleep. She was soon dreaming. She dreamt of Draco.

Draco and Hermione, alone, together:

That Monday, Draco feigned illness, so he would not have to work. Nick decided to wait until Draco was less 'emotionally insecure' to try to hypnotize him. He told Draco perhaps in a few days they could try it.

Draco was lying on the couch in Hermione's room, just staring at a picture that was taken at their graduation. They had both come back to school right after Voldemort's demise. She, because she loved to learn, and needed to graduate. He, out of necessity, because he had nowhere else to go. He did not want to come back, but his parents insisted. Draco put his feet up on the end of the couch, and reminisced about their first meeting.

His mother had left for prison a week before he was due to come back to finish what would be called his 'eighth year' of school. That morning, his house elves packed his luggage and his trunk, packed him a lunch, and that was it. There was no one to tell him goodbye, and no one for him to say goodbye to. He apparated to the train station, not even caring if a Muggle saw him. He entered the train, and looked for a compartment.

Unlike all the other years that he had traveled by Hogwarts Express, on the first day of school, this time, only a handful of compartments were open. The underclassmen had come back to school the week before. There were only supposed to be 24 or 25 students returning for this accelerated, N.E.W.T. program. He loaded his trunk in the last car, and searched the train for a familiar face. He knew there would be no other Slytherins in attendance. Why would there be? He saw a few Hufflepuffs, a handful of Gryffindors, quite a few of those scholarly Ravenclaws, and one little Hermione Granger. He looked in her door, and saw she was reading. He went back to the last compartment, and took out a book as well. No one bothered him. He did not expect them to.

He read for an hour or so, and then decided to stretch his legs. He walked out the last compartment, and passed by all the other compartments, full of happy, bright, shiny faces. It made him sick. It truly did. He walked the entire length of the train, stopping at the other far end. It contained Granger. She was still by herself. How odd. Why were her friends not with her? He had expected Potter and her boyfriend Weasley to be there. However, he did not see them anywhere on the train.

He went back and got his satchel, and decided he would join her. He did not know why. She just seemed like she would be the only one on the train who would not judge him.

He opened her compartment door, but did not say a word to her. He was nervous, not that he would let that show. She looked like she was going to say hello to him, but she must have changed her mind. She put her nose back in her book. He followed her lead, taking his book out and reading as well.

He crossed his legs, accidentally, no, purposely, knocking into her foot, which was bobbing up and down at an alarming rate. He wanted her to notice him. He was not sure why. He said, "Pardon," and continued to read.

When she went to put her bag back in the overheard, after stuffing her book back in her bag, she could not even lift it. She was huffing as if it weighed a hundred pounds. He stood up and took it from her hand, and stuffed it in the overhead. He gave her a funny look, because honestly, the bag was not that heavy. She said thank you, which shocked him to his core. He said something flippant back to her, he could not even remember what. Something along the lines of "Whatever."

Hermione started to unwrap her lunch, and Draco remembered that it smelled terrible. He even asked what that retched smell was, and she said it was her lunch. He decided if she was going to eat lunch, so was he. He unwrapped his lunch, which smelled wonderful, and then cursed. "Bloody hell," he said.

"What?" she asked him.

"My damn elf forgot to pack me anything to drink," he said. He did not even realize that until she opened her butterbeer. It looked really good, too. He could not have been more shocked when he realized that she was reaching inside her bag to get him a butterbeer as well. He was so taken-aback, that he could hardly mutter a thank you.

After they ate, he took his book and began to read again. She asked him what he was reading, and he thought, 'is she really talking to me?' He even asked her if she was really talking to him. It was odd. Were they just going to have a normal conversation, like normal people. They started talking, which seemed foreign and forced. The only time he had ever talked to her in his whole life, was to taunt her, tease her, and call her names, and there she was, expecting him to carry on a normal conversation, as if they were friends. He thought at the time that she was very strange.

They ended up walking to the castle, after the train broke down. Or did a bridge go out. He could not remember. He talked her into going over the hills with him, to reach the castle, instead of through the woods with the others. He convinced her he knew the way, even though he was only guessing. He just wanted to spend some more time alone with her. He figured that would be the only time he would get her alone the whole year. How wrong he was. They ended up being friends, and then falling in love. They even became lovers. Who would have guessed? Not him.

He recalled the first night they made love. It was the single happiest moment of his life. They had fought earlier in the evening. She had planned out the whole evening, down to how they would make love, and things were not going as she planned, because she was so nervous. He tried to lighten the mood, but she would not be appeased. He finally decided to let her off the hook. He wanted to make love to her more then he wanted anything, but he loved her even more, so if things were not right for her, he would wait. He recalled that he did not have to wait long.

_**The first time they made love:**_

_It was almost two o'clock in the morning. Hermione crept out of her room, and walked up to Draco's door. She opened it slowly, and it creaked. She stopped and held her breath. She looked at his body, and it was apparent he was still asleep, and she had not woken him. She tiptoed in his room, shut, and locked the door. She stood beside his bed for a moment, watching his chest rise and fall with even breaths. He was definitely sleeping._

_The room was mostly dark, except for a small amount of light from the quarter moon reflecting from the white snow outside, and bouncing into his window. Hermione came up to his bed and slipped off her nightgown, folding it neatly over his chair. She sat on the bed, and he shifted slightly, scratching his nose. He moved from his back to his side. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. He still did not stir. Hermione noticed that he was nude from the waist up. Did that mean he was nude from the waist down? She felt more exposed just sitting there in his cold room, with his sleeping body next to her, than she did by being nude. This was not a good idea. Perhaps she should leave. She got up to leave and his hand came down and landed on her bare thigh. He moved back to his back, still asleep._

_Unbeknownst to Hermione, Draco woke up as soon as he heard his door creak. He saw her enter, and pretended to sleep. He tried to keep his breathing steady, so she would not be aware of his subterfuge. He felt excitement and anticipation with each step she took closer to him. When he heard her slip her gown over her head, he grew so hard, that he was thankful the room was dark, or she would have known he was faking. He felt her lean over and kiss him, but then, it seemed she was going to leave. He still did not want to admit to his ploy, even though he was tempted to reach for her wrist, so instead, he continued to feign sleep, and he let his hand fall on her leg. 'Please stay, Hermione,' he thought._

_She decided to slip under his covers. She felt the little hairs on his legs rubbing up against hers. She put her hand on his chest, bent her head, and kissed his collarbone, then his chest, then his nipples. She played with the hair on his chest, and let her hand travel down further, stopping where the covers began. She watched his face. Was he really still asleep? Hermione decide to find out, so she leaned over his chest, pressed her bare breasts into his body, and her hand traveled down under the covers, and rested on his erection. She had never even seen a boy's penis, let alone touched one. She stroked it gently. It was soft and hard at the same time. She could feel ridges, and veins and tiny hairs at the base. She let her hand travel to the tip and she felt something wet. He could no longer pretend to sleep. _

_He put one hand on her bare buttocks, pushing her closer to him and the other went up to her face. He kissed her hard, long and wet. She kissed him back. She pulled away from him, and he still had his hand on the back of her neck. She bent her head and started planting little kisses on his jaw, his neck, and his chest. The feel of her body, so soft and warm against his would soon be the end of him. He decided it was the perfect time to take control of the situation. After all, this was her first time. He wanted it to be about her. He wanted to make it special for her. As she continued to lavish long, wet kisses on his mouth, licking his lips with her tongue, her hand still on his growing erection, not really moving, but still there, He pulled her over so she was completely on top of him, and then quickly turn them, so she was on bottom and he was on top. _

_There was no way he was still asleep, she thought._

_She wondered what would happen next. He did not make her wait long. He had enough of this. It was definitely time to take control. Draco put his right hand on her left breast and started to play with it, stroking it, and pinching the peak. He kissed her breast gently, while his hand played with the other one. His mouth took in her tip, she moaned slightly, and her hips started to move on their own accord. That was what she meant by 'doing something embarrassing', so she stopped moving her hips, but not for long. He put his mouth on hers and kissed her slowly, playing with her tongue, biting her lip, quick little kisses and then long painful ones. His hand was still on her breast, her hips once again started to move, and now she was not even aware._

_He kissed her breasts again, first one, and then the other, and then he moved lower and kissed her stomach. He came back to her lips and put his hand lower, until it was between her legs. She was very wet and ready for him, and that made him love her more than he thought possible. He held his hand at her middle, only pressing it slightly, but it gave her pleasure, which was palpable. She moaned as he continued to kiss her beautiful breasts. He could not help himself, as his hand started to move with the movement of her hips. He stroked her up and down until she was making a deep throaty sound. She said his name, "Draco, oh Draco." _

_That was all he needed. He could not wait any longer. He felt he had waited a lifetime for her._

_He situated himself at her entrance, trying not to put too much weight on her body. He supported himself with his arms, and he started to enter her, slowly at first. She was clenching her walls, which made her even tighter. She was starting to say, "It hurts, stop," but he could not stop. It would serve no purpose. She was just afraid. He could do one of two things. Pull out, and continue making love to her, but then the anxiety she felt would still be there, or just do it, get it over with, and make her see that it only hurt a little at first._

_He decided to enter her. He did it quickly, and she cried out for a moment and started breathing hard, as if she was holding back a cry. He put his hands on both sides of her face and said, "Look at me, it's okay, it will only hurt for a bit. I promise its okay."_

_He started a slow rhythm, and she started to relax. He could feel her body relaxing. She was starting to enjoy the act of lovemaking, for which he was thankful. If he had thought he had actually hurt her, he could not have lived with himself._

_They continued their mutual assent, and then descent, coming together in pleasure at the exact same time. He stayed on top of her as long as he could, afraid if he moved she might try to run away, and frankly, he had just decided that she was never leaving him, never. She now belonged to him, just as much as his right arm, his skin, or his heart belonged to him. She was his and his alone. She was a part of him. Without her, he would cease to exist._

_He finally rolled off her and pulled her to his chest. She put her arm around his body and looked up at his face. His eyes were shut once more. Was he asleep again? She kissed his lips and let her head drop back down to his chest. Even if he was again sleeping, she felt duty-bound to say, "Thank you."_

_He smiled. She said thank you. She really was a strange little thing. Good thing she was all his. He said, "Your welcome," and then laughed at the absurdity of it all. He said, "Although, for the record, usually people just say 'I love you' after making love, not 'thank you', but you do what you want to do, little one."_

_She put her hand on the ridge of his ribcage and traced a line up to his face and leaned over on his chest, and looked at his face. He opened his eyes. "I love you, Draco," she declared._

"_I love you, too."_

_--_

He could not have survived that pivotal year without her. He would not be able to survive this year without her either, or the year after, or any other year. He had to see her today. He had to tell her he was sorry, and ask for her forgiveness. He could not live with the guilt one minute longer. He would not have to. Bill Weasley took that moment to knock on the door. Draco put down the graduation picture, and opened her door.

"I thought I might find you in here. I heard you skipped your classes today," Bill said.

"I didn't feel well," Draco said. It was the truth, really.

"Well, come on. I am taking you to St. Mungos. I promised Hermione. She wanted to see you last night, but it was too late," Bill explained.

"She wanted to see me last night?" Draco inquired.

"Yes, now come on, let's stop by your room first, and have you clean yourself up a bit first, because frankly, Draco, you smell bad and you look like hell," Bill laughed. Draco looked at himself, and smiled. He did, it was the truth. He went to his room and did as Bill requested.

When they arrived at her room at St. Mungos, Draco was afraid to open the door. He looked back at Bill for support. Bill said, "Go on."

He opened the door. She was sitting up in her bed. Her leg was suspended by magic, and wrapped in a thick bandage. She had another thick bandage around her neck. Her hair was down, hanging in curls around her shoulders. He remembered that seeing her last night as Hufflepuff he thought she looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her, but last night did not compare to how beautiful she looked at that moment.

She smiled when she saw him. He rushed to her bed and took her hand. He kissed it lightly. He said, "I love you." It seemed more appropriate than saying, 'I'm sorry."

She said, "I love you, too." She tightened the grip on his hand. He sat on her bed. They would be okay.


	11. Part XI

(All characters belong to JK Rowlings)

**Part XI: November:**

Under the Influence:

It was the first week of November, and it was already unbearably cold. Hermione was still in St. Mungos. She would be home in a couple of days. Draco was determined to have his little 'meeting' with Nick Boot before Hermione came back to school. The sooner he rid the evilness from inside him, the better. With Hermione still in St. Mungos, she was too far away for him to harm her in any way.

Nick decided they would commence with the hypnosis on Saturday morning. It was exactly one week since the attack. Draco, Bill and the three brothers all met in the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom. Bill asked for Draco's wand. He thought it would be better if Draco did not have it, for obvious reasons. Nick was busy reading some reference book, and Bill and Draco were in the corner talking. Paul sat down at one of the tables with a piece of parchment and a quill.

Don walked up to his youngest brother and said, "What are you doing?"

"Nick wanted me to record everything that happens today," Paul said.

"That's not necessary," Don said.

"I don't mind," Paul said.

"What I meant to say was, you won't be needed," Don said, almost angry.

Paul stood up, "Why not?"

"Listen, I will tell you everything that happens later, okay?" Don said, trying to lead his brother out of the door.

"This is uncalled for," Paul said, "I have as much right to be here as you do."

Don said quietly, "I'm afraid Salazar might harm you if you stay here."

"Harm me? Why would he harm me? Anyway, Bill took Draco's wand," Paul commented.

"Salazar didn't need a wand when he merely raised his hand and threw Harry Potter into a plate-glass window," Don pointed out.

"Still, you are all going to be here," Paul complained.

Don, still speaking quietly, said, "That's different, and you know it is."

"What are you going on about, Don?" Paul demanded.

"Fine, if you want me to call you out on your feelings for Hermione, I will," Don said sternly.

"Big brother, enlighten me to what the hell you are referring," Paul shouted. Suddenly, the other three men in the large classroom turned to see what was happening. Don took Paul's sleeve and led him to the hallway.

"I know you have developed feelings for her," Don said, once outside the classroom.

"Did Nick tell you?" Paul wondered aloud.

"No, I have eyes. I can see. I know things," Don complained.

"What's your point?" Paul asked. "I have feeling for Hermione, not Helga, so how will Salazar know?"

"His spirit cannot make a differentiation between the two, and I have already lost one little brother, and I won't lose another!" Don announced.

Paul said, "Maybe you should have thought about that before you made us all take up this quest of protecting them! I'm an adult, and I will stay if I want. I would never act on my feelings for Hermione, because I happen to like Draco too much. Besides, they love each other; I know that, I'm not stupid."

Don glared at him and said, "I won't waver on this. I'll let you know later what happens."

"You're not my father," Paul said.

"No, I'm your brother, you eldest brother, so that should be a good enough reason," Don said.

"Have you ever thought about revealing to Draco and Hermione the real reason we were sent here to protect them? How about some truths on your part, Don? You lied to them when you said it was a wizard's oath with Terry. Tell them the truth, and once you face your truths, talk to me, but until that time, let me pass," Paul spouted, trying to get past his brother.

Don took his arm and said, "One thing doesn't have anything to do with the other, and you know it. We are doing what we have to do. That's the reason we are protecting them. Your human feelings for Hermione are only getting in the way. It is making you weak. You were supposed to guard them during the Ball. That is why you didn't bring a date. Instead, look what happened. All you could think about was dancing with her, and you forgot about watching Draco. What is important is that they are protected, and safe, and that they fulfill their destinies. The destinies that forever link us to them. Terry came back to school that year for that particular reason. He died protecting them. I won't have you die too, because you've lost sight of what's right and wrong!"

"My feelings for her aren't wrong, but I told you, I won't act on them," Paul stated again.

Don had enough arguing. He knew Paul had a point, but what was important was doing the job they were sent to do, though Don also had to protect what brothers he had left. He pushed his brother hard enough that he stumbled and fell to the floor. Don stormed back to the room, shut the door, and locked it with a spell. He said, "Let's get started."

"Where's Paul?" Nick asked.

Don gave his brother a warning look, so Nick said, "Fine, don't tell me. Draco, are you ready?"

"Ready enough," Draco commented.

"Sit here in this chair," Nick said, sitting opposite Draco. Nick said, "Now, just relax, Draco. Listen to the sound of my voice. Concentrate on your breathing. Clear your mind the best you can. I am going to count to ten, and when I reach one, you will be in a deep sleep, but conscious of everything that I tell you, understand?"

"Yes," Draco said.

Nick counted to ten. When he reached ten, he said, "Draco, can you hear me?"

"Yes," Draco said.

"I want you to know that you are safe. Nothing can hurt you. I want you to remember everything that happens here today. Now, may I speak to Salazar?" Nick prodded.

"No," Draco said.

"Why not?" Nick asked.

"Because he's no longer with me," Draco said.

"Where is he?" Nick asked, looking at Don and Bill, confused.

"He's in another. He said that I could no longer help him, for he knows I would die before hurting her again. He needed someone better, someone who loves her, but someone who would kill her if necessary, to free Helga's soul. He said this person is someone who understands him. Someone who uncovered his secrets," Draco revealed.

"Who is that, and what secrets?" Nick asked.

With his eyes still shut, Draco said, "Your brother, Paul, and I don't know what secrets."

Nick stood up, and looked at Don worried. Don said, "No, it can't be. He doesn't have Slytherin's mark; he's not shown any signs of being possessed."

"Draco, listen to me, how do you know this?" Nick asked.

"Salazar revealed this to me, right before he left me, and you are wrong," Draco said.

"Wrong about what?" Nick asked.

"Paul's had the mark for a long time, before Hermione even had hers. He was the one Slytherin first picked to possess, before he changed to me. He is the one who hurt her all those times before. He said Paul's loved her for a very long time," Draco said.

Don ran out of the room to find Paul. Nick said, "Draco, on the count of three, you need to wake up. One, Two, Three, wake up."

Draco woke up and said, "My God, we have to find your brother."

Don ran back in the classroom and said, "He's no longer in the hall!"

Paul Boot:

Paul ran away from the classroom. Don always ordered him around, treated him like a child. He was only seven years younger. He was a grown man. He loved Hermione; he had since he first started guarding her two years ago, but that did not mean his feelings for her would interfere with protecting them. He knew she loved Draco. Draco and Hermione's fates intertwined, and he would never do anything to try to change that. If he had to stay away from her, he would. He fell in love with her; he could fall out of love with her. He decided to go to the dig site. He might as well do something productive. He was onto something interesting, and he wanted to continue with his work.

He ran most of the way there. He noticed he was alone. Where were the archeologists? It was odd that none of them were around. He decided to examine the secret chamber they found. It was buried deep under what would have been the anteroom off the original castle's main chamber. They unearthed the stone steps last week, and had already begun to excavate the room. It was a large room, octagon in shape, with granite walls. There were strange runes all around the room. There was even an underground spring. He entered the cavernous room, and lit the lanterns he placed there days before. The last time he was there, he had been transposing the runes on the walls. They were different than the ones on the cup and the table. He took out his quill and parchment, and started to work. He suddenly felt sick, almost lightheaded. Perhaps there wasn't enough air in the chamber. He decided to get some fresh air. He started to walk out of the room, when everything went black.

* * *

_Salazar watched as the dark wizard took Helga into a small cave. She appeared to be dead. His heart was racing, and he had trouble swallowing. He was filled with an indescribable rage. He hated this man! He hated himself for leaving her. He needed to see if she was still alive. The wizard left her in the cave, and went back to the battle. Salazar climbed in the opening, and saw his one love lying weak and broken on the cold cave floor._

"_Helga!" he cried, "Helga, speak to me, my love." He shook her body. "Please, wake!" he commanded. She remained quiet and still. She was barely breathing. She was cold. She was pale. He didn't know what type of curse they used on her, so he didn't know how to help her. "Damn you for being noble! Why didn't you write to me sooner, and tell me to come back! Damn you!" He shook her lifeless body. He held her to his chest and started to scream. He cried in agony. She could not die! He would not let her die!_

_He could only see one solution. He had never performed the ceremony himself, but he had seen in performed before. His own father had created a Horcrux to fend off death. It should be easy. It was the darkest of magic, but if it would mean they could live on, and bind them forever, than he would do it! He knew he could preserve his own soul, but would he be able to preserve hers? He would have to try. He would perform the ritual on himself first, and then kill the wizard who killed her, and then use his death to save hers. He would have to act quickly, before she died. If she died before the Horcrux was created, than he would kill himself, and be with her in the afterlife. One way or another, he would be with her again, and make sure their love never died._

_He took his saddlebag from the floor, and opened it to reveal a golden chalice. It was very old. It was a marriage cup. It belonged to his grandparents. He had already forged their symbols on the chalice, hoping to use it in a binding ceremony, should they ever wed. Now it would be used as a vessel to contain a part of their souls. _

_He put the cup down for a moment, and tried once again to revive her. He said every spell he could remember to heal her, to no avail. She was at death's door, and he would soon follow. If she died in the next hour, he would merely have to take his own life. That should be easy. If she survived beyond the hour, she might have a chance to live. Then he would perform the spell to split his soul, and then do the same for her. He knew she loved him that much; she would want him to do this._

_For him, creating the Horcrux would be easy. He had killed already. Many times. He was certain that she had not. It should be a meaningful kill, one of consequence, to secure your soul. If only she could kill the man who kidnapped her. That would be meaningful. He turned to look at her once more. He would have to kill him for her. She was white, he touched her hand. It was like touching marble. He put his head on her chest. She no longer was breathing. He could not feel her heartbeat. His true love was dying, perhaps even dead. He had no way to make a Horcrux for her, if she died before he could kill the dark wizard. If she died before he made her Horcrux, he would take his own life. He was always a selfish man. He wanted to die, to be with her, but he wanted his soul to live on with the Horcrux._

_He cried one last time for her, and then covered her with his robe. He took the cup, and lifted his wand. He thought of all the men he had killed in his life. Then, he said, the ancient spell that would preserve his soul for eternity._

"_Death behold, the man I am,"_

"_Death, will never fail me,"_

"_Death, is not the bitter end,"_

"_Death beyond the veil is."_

"_My soul I give to this vessel to hold,"_

"_To this world, forever bind me,"_

"_Bring me eternal life, to behold,"_

"_Where death will never find me."_

_After speaking the last line of the spell, Salazar fell in a heap on the floor._

_When he finally awoke, he knew the spell had work, as he felt somehow darker. He didn't like that feeling, but it was a good feeling to have at that moment, for he decided before he killed himself, he would kill the dark wizard who kidnapped her, even if it was too late to create her Horcrux. He would avenge her death. _

_He waited over an hour. He finally heard the dark wizard approach. The man's timing couldn't have been better. Salazar waited at the mouth of the cave, using a concealment charm to hide from the wizard. The man approached Helga, and raised his hands high above her. He was using a spell Salazar had never seen before. He was actually reviving her. She was not dead! Salazar would let him revive her before he killed him._

_Salazar pointed his wand at the man and he turned around quickly. Salazar laughed and said, "I have a special curse for you. You shall tell me later how it feels to feel all the pain and suffering that you yourself have inflicted on every single person you have ever cursed. I am sure you will cry out for me to kill you, and I shall kill you, but you shall suffer first!" _

_The Darian laughed. He said, "I still have my wand, so I doubt your claims, but please, let the suffering begin!" The wizard said a curse, but Salazar was quicker._

"_Extradite De Delcia!" Salazar yelled. The man fell to the floor in agony and pain. He withered on the ground, screaming and yelling. He felt all the suffering he had ever inflicted on another living soul, but ten times worse. Salazar held his wand on the man for many moments. The man's sins must have been great, for his suffering was great. This curse was of Salazar's own design. He had yet to use it. He never wanted to use it before, and he hoped he would never have to use it again. He had not yet lost his humanity. He was not sure how much longer he could hear the man's screams. At first, he wasn't aware of Helga screaming along with the man. Finally, he heard her._

"_STOP! PLEASE, SALAZAR! STOP!" she cried from the floor. He had to go to her, but first, he had to finish killing the man. He raised his wand once more, and killed him. The man stopped screaming. He stopped crying. He stopped breathing. He stopped._

_He kneeled by her side. She said, "Is he dead."_

"_Yes, and I won't apologize for killing him," he said, "For I thought he killed you, but you live!"_

"_I live for you," she said weakly. He gathered her in his arms, and held her. _

_He said, "I thought thee died. Why did you write to me to tell me you were going to your death? Why not write to me to tell me you wanted to live, and ask me to come back to thee?"_

"_You stopped loving me," she said, a tear falling from her face._

_He used his finger to stop her tear. He said, "I never stopped loving you. I thought you would be better without me. I thought I was wrong for you. You are good and I am evil. You are sweet, I am bitter. You have hope for the future and my hope has long passed. What can I offer you?"_

"_Your love. That's all I have ever wanted from you," she said._

"_I can't change who I am. I am an evil person," he said._

"_You may do evil things sometimes, but you have a soul, you know how to love, you are not evil," she said._

_She said he had a soul. Was it so wrong that he sealed that soul in the cup, so they would never have to part again? Now was not the time to tell her what he did. He would have to wait until she was stronger. He would have to wait._

* * *

Paul woke up with a terrible headache. He remembered everything of the vision he just had. Salazar's soul split in two, and was made into a Horcrux, before he knew she lived. That part of his soul still thought she died that day, in the cave. That still did not explain how her soul came to be in the cup. He heard his brother's yelling his name. He struggled to stand. He started to call to them, to tell them he was in the chamber, but he heard a voice inside his head say, "Tell no one I am with thee."

"Who are you?" Paul asked the voice.

"You know who I am. You love her as much as I love my Helga. Take me to her. We can both have the women we love."

"Helga died centuries ago," Paul said, to himself.

"YOU LIE! TAKE ME TO HER!" The voice said. Paul tried to yell for his brothers, when once again, everything went black.

Thy brother's keeper:

Don ran down to the chamber. Something told him that Paul was there. He was. He tried to wake him, but he would not wake up. He carried him out of the chamber. Nick saw his brothers and cried out for the others. Draco and Bill ran to them, to see what was wrong.

"Is he dead?" Nick cried.

"No, but I can't wake him," Don shouted. They took him to the castle, where the Medi-witch was at a loss of what to do. They took him immediately to St. Mungos.

Draco decided to go to Granger. He wouldn't tell her right away about Paul. He would only tell her that Salazar had finally left him. That was all she needed to know for now.

He stepped in her room and said, "Knock, knock."

She smiled. She was sitting in a chair. Her leg had only a small bandage, and her neck was free from its binding. Thank goodness for magic, he thought.

He walked in hesitantly. He sat on the bed, and looked at her in her chair and said, "How are you today?"

"I would be better if you would come over here and give me a kiss. Is something wrong?" she asked.

He might as well tell her. "Something has happened to Paul. He's in a deep coma, and the healers can't wake him."

"What happened?" she asked, concern etching her face.

Should he tell her? He said, "Nick was performing hypnosis on me, but found out that Salazar no longer possessed me. Salazar has found another person to enter, and that would be Paul."

"How could that be? Why?" she asked.

"I don't know," he lied. He did know. Don told them all out in the waiting room that Paul was in love with Hermione, which was confirmed by Draco when he was under hypnosis. Draco was in love with her as well, so he didn't really understand why Salazar would change from one conduit to another, but Draco didn't care. He was no longer a threat to her, and that was what mattered the most. Of course, now Paul was the threat. In addition, Paul was right here with her, at the hospital. Draco would have to stay here with her until she was able to come home. He asked, "When are you being released?"

"Two days, they just told me, and its two days too long," she said, with a smile. He felt the same way.

"Couldn't you spend the next two days in the hospital wing at Hogwarts?" he asked.

She said, "I never thought to ask that. I might be able to. When my healer comes in this evening, I will ask him."

"Please do, because truthfully, I can't spend another night without you. Even if you don't get to come home, I am staying here, do you understand, little one?" he said with a fake smile. He had to stay to protect her.

"I doubt your words, Malfoy, for you have yet to kiss me," she said quietly, but with a sly smile.

"Let me kiss you now, then, so you know my words are true," he laughed. He kneeled on the floor, beside her chair. He ran his finger slowly down her face, starting at her right eyebrow, running down her smooth cheek. He leaned in and kissed her lips, parting them slightly, and applying just a small amount of pressure. He parted from her and sighed, "I can't wait to hold you in my arms again. It's as if a piece of me is missing, when I am far from you. After this, I never want to spend another night apart." He held her hand, and kissed her palm.

"I agree. Being far from you, and not knowing what was going on with you, was sheer agony. Please, stay with me tonight," she said.

"I already said I would," he stated.

"But promise me!" she said, urgently.

"I promise. Nothing can tear me away from you," he said.

"Will you carry me to my bed, I'm very tired," she said.

He did as requested. He reclined back on the bed beside her, and put one arm around her chest. He was on his side. He kept touching her face, to make sure she was safe and was really there. When the healer came in later, he said that Hermione needed to stay at least one more night, but then she could go back to Hogwarts the next day, if she promised to spend a couple of days in the hospital wing. She made him that promise.

Hermione took his hand and said, "Why are you so restless?"

Draco said, "I'm just contemplating."

"What are you contemplating?" she asked.

"Life," he said, and then he laughed.

"My oh my, Malfoy, don't contemplate too hard," she said, smiling. "Now, be more specific, what about life are you contemplating?"

"I was contemplating taking my life, if something happened to you," he said.

"What?" she asked shocked. She turned slightly to look at him, which caused her to wince in pain. He sat up.

"Are you in pain?" he asked.

"Who cares?" she said, agitated, "I would be in more pain if you killed yourself. Don't ever say something like that again!"

"But it's the truth. I also would kill myself before I ever hurt you again, and that's why Slytherin left me," he admitted. He sat back up on the bed and traced her jaw line with his index finger.

"Please, don't speak of such things, I can't bear it." She closed her eyes to keep her tears at bay. As she lay there, she started thinking about Paul. She said, "Why would he enter Paul now?"

He said, "Because he loves you."

She opened her eyes. She had already suspected as much, but did not want to admit it. She closed her eyes again and expelled the breath she was holding. He reclined back down, again to lie beside her. He said, "Go to sleep. I'll be here all night long."

"Don't kill yourself," she warned, "Because if you think Salazar's ghost was terrible, you have no idea what I would do to you."

"You're confused," he smiled, as she looked up in his eyes, "for if I killed myself, I would be the dead one, hence, the potential ghost."

"But, you said you would kill yourself if I died, so I would be dead too, and I would be dead first, and I would torment you so much, that you would not kill yourself," she said, yawning.

He was slightly confused at her logic, "I don't know what we are even talking about anymore. Just go to sleep. I won't kill myself, but I might kill you if you keep talking."

"Goodnight, Draco," she smiled. He was no longer going to kill himself. She won.

He said, "But you didn't win, so wipe that stupid grin off your face. Goodnight, Hermione. I love you."

"I love you, too," she said, yawning a second time. He kissed her cheek. He put his head on the pillow beside hers.

She soon fell asleep. Draco did not want to sleep, but he felt she was relatively safe with him beside her, so he let sleep finally overcome him. He was in such a deep sleep, that he did not hear the person enter the room, step up to Hermione's bed, and point a wand directly at them.


	12. Part XII

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XII:**

The Hiding Place:

Draco opened his eyes, briefly, and the first thing he saw was a wand pointed right at his chest. He sat upright so quickly, that he woke Hermione. It was so dark in the room, that he could not yet see who was at the other end. He instinctively put his arm across her body. "Get out of bed, quickly," the voice on the other end of the wand, said. The voice was familiar. It was Don Boot.

"What the hell is going on here?" Draco asked.

"I have to get you out of here. Take you somewhere safe. I am afraid even with Paul in a coma you are in danger here," he told them.

Hermione asked, "Where are we going?"

"Back to Shell Cottage, it's all arranged with Bill. He is sending his wife and daughter to his parent's house. We will be at the cottage as well, on the outside, protecting you," he said.

"How can we trust you?" Draco asked. He honestly wanted to know. He had been thinking about things for the last few days. He did not trust anyone anymore.

"Draco," Don said, "I know you have a lot of questions, and you deserve answers. I will give them to you, but for now, we have to get you out of here. It's almost 2:00 in the morning."

Draco asked, "How is that significant? Nothing has happened to Hermione in weeks."

Hermione looked down at the bed. He stood up and said, "Granger, are you still being woken up at 2:15 in the morning? Are there more injuries?"

"Listen, Draco, it just started again. Since I have been in the hospital. But there's been no injuries, just bad dreams, that I can't remember," she admitted.

"Why would this just start up again since you've been in here?" he asked.

Don answered, "Because, Paul has been the one guarding her at night. Nick believes, and I am sure he is right, that Salazar did not just leave you suddenly. We think he has been facilitating between you two. Paul was here each night, in the hall, guarding Hermione, so Salazar has had access to her."

"DAMN!" Draco yelled.

Don said, "Calm down, Draco. If I had known any of this, do you really think I would have put her in danger? I am concerned as well, for both Hermione and my brother. Now come on, it's almost 2:10!" He pulled Draco aside, and stepped up to the bed. He picked Hermione up effortlessly, and told Draco, "Meet you there."

They arrived at Shell Cottage in the dead of night. Don gave Hermione to Bill, who carried her into the living room. Draco followed. Don started walking the parameter of the yard. Draco asked Bill, "What is he doing?"

"Checking the wards, to make sure no one can enter," Bill said.

"Does that include spirits?" Draco shouted, "Because if it doesn't, I don't know what the point is."

"Draco, calm down, please," Hermione said. She seemed to be in pain.

Bill said, "Draco, take her up to our room. I have the bed ready for her. I am going back to Hogwarts tonight, and I will tell the Headmistress that you and Don will be absent for a while. If you don't mind, I would really like to fill Minerva in on everything."

"I don't give a rat's arse what you do," Draco said, plopping down on a chair. His elbows were on his knees, and his knees were shaking up and down. He was a bundle of nervous energy.

"Draco, take Hermione upstairs," Bill repeated.

"Go to hell," Draco said.

"Draco, will you please help me up the stairs. I think I can walk, I just need help," Hermione asked, swinging her legs around to the floor.

He walked up to the couch and said, "Make me feel guilty, will you?" He bent down and picked her up. He walked them up the stairs. Bill called out that he would return tomorrow afternoon.

Draco laid her gently on the bed. He sat beside her and said, "Why didn't you tell me that the dreams started again?"

"I haven't really seen you much. The worst thing is that I get so cold every night. I know it is close to winter, but it is not that kind of cold. It is the type of cold that starts on the inside, not the outside. I cannot explain it. The healers were beginning to think I had been cursed or something," she said.

"Are you cold tonight?"

"No, I'm not, and that's a good sign, don't you think?" she asked.

He stood up and went to the window. It was so black outside that he could not see a thing. It was raining. He continued to stare, at nothing at all. She said, "Draco, come to bed. I'm tired."

"I'm tired too," he said, not looking at her. He was not physically tired. He was mentally tired. He wanted this to end. He was afraid of how it might end.

"Draco?" she said again.

"Go to sleep, little one," he commanded. His voice did not sound soothing. She could tell there was an edge to his words. She felt like crying. She felt as if it was all her fault. The cup. It all went back to the cup. She could not keep the sobs inside any longer. She whimpered softly. Of course, he heard her. He just did not know what to do or say. He acted as if he did not hear. He continued to look out at the dark night.

Hermione finally closed her eyes and pulled the covers up to her chin. "Draco, do you ever regret falling in love with me?"

At that, he turned around. He looked directly in her beautiful brown eyes. "Truthfully?" he asked.

"Please," she begged.

"Never," he said honestly. "Please, get some sleep." He sat down in a chair that was in the corner of the room.

She shut her eyes. She started to cry again. She felt out of control, but mostly, she felt like she was losing Draco. He was so distant. He turned out the light. She cried louder. She could not help it. She felt his weight on the bed beside her. He kicked off his shoes. He stayed on the outside of the covers, but he pulled her closer to him.

"I love you, Granger. I am sorry I am behaving badly. I don't know what to think or feel right now, but I've told you before, never doubt my feelings for you," he said softly, caressing her hair.

"I feel like I'm losing you," she said, "and I feel just as confused and out of control as you do." It was almost as if she was chastising him. He deserved it. He kissed her forehead. She looked at him, trying to see his expression, but the room was too dark.

"Please, go to sleep now," he said.

"Will you stay in the bed with me?" Hermione asked.

Draco joked, "As long as you don't try to take advantage of me. I'm too tired for sex right now."

"Ha!" she said. "I bet you could abstain from sleep for a week, and not be too tired for sex." She had a point. He yawned. She followed. "Goodnight, Draco." He didn't return her goodnight, for he knew their good nights had possibly ended, and may never return.

Burnt Toast and a Bath:

That morning, Draco brought a breakfast tray up to Hermione. She stretched slightly and said, "Yum, breakfast."

"You had better taste it before you judge, for I'm a terror in the kitchen," he said. The breakfast did look odd. The toast burnt, the eggs runny, and the orange juice had more pulp then juice. She frowned and he said, "I told you."

"I think I can manage to fix us something," she said, trying to get out of bed. He put the tray down and put his hands on her shoulders.

"No, you are convalescing!" he almost yelled.

He picked up the tray, and walked out in the hall. He came back a second later with a tray of food that looked and smelled delicious. Two eggs, over easy, toast, just right, meat, jams, jellies, scones, perfectly squeezed orange juice, and a cup of tea.

"You didn't make this," she said, as he placed the tray on her lap.

"How do you know?" he said. She glared at him. "Fine, I really did make the first tray. Then, Mrs. Weasley stopped by and saw my feeble attempt at breakfast, and made you this. She fed me as well. I have to say, she's an excellent cook," he said, stealing a scone.

"What if I had started to eat the first tray?" she asked, taking a bite of egg.

"Then I would have known that you love me. Now I know you don't. It's good to know these things," he laughed.

"Maybe the fact that you tried to feed me that rubbish means you don't love me," she countered.

"Point taken, tuck in," he said. He walked out of the room and said, "I'm going to take a shower."

"Oh, that reminds me," Hermione said, "I might need help bathing. My leg is still weak, so I have trouble standing and walking, and my range of movement is terrible. I can wash myself, I just need help in and out of the tub."

"Come take a shower with me," he grinned.

"What if I said, okay?" she asked.

"I wouldn't mind," he said, adding, "Are you up for that?"

"Bathing?" she asked, taking a bite of her sausage now.

"No, sex," he frowned. Wasn't it obvious that he meant sex?

"You couldn't bathe with me without having sex?" she asked, smiling at him.

"I doubt it," he said.

"Then to answer your question, no, I don't think I'm up for that. Maybe Mrs. Weasley can come over and help me, or Ginny," she said. She felt full as a tick. She put the tray beside her on the bed, not able to take one more bite.

"No, I can help you, seriously. You should bathe first, though, for I will need a cold shower afterwards," he said.

"Okay, help me up," she gave him her hand.

He helped her to the bathroom. She said, "I need some privacy first. Maybe you could find me something to wear. I do not have any clothes here. Do you?"

"No, but Bill won't mind if I borrow something, however, we might need to modify Fleur's clothing. She is an Amazon next to you. You are so tiny," he grinned.

"Whatever," she said with a roll of her eyes. She was not that small. She was average, if anything.

She went to the loo, and found a new toothbrush in the medicine cabinet. She hoped that Bill would not mind her using it. She brushed her teeth and combed out her hair. She would not ask Draco to help her wash her hair. That was asking too much.

"Granger, may I come in yet?" he asked from the outside.

"Enter," she said.

He brought in two towels and washcloths. She sat on the lid of the closed toilet, as he turned on the faucets. He put the plug in the tub, and sat on the side, with his hand moving back and forth under the stream of water. He adjusted the faucets, more cold, and then more hot, until the water was just right. He put his hand back under the spigot, and splashed her with water.

"Hey!" she declared.

"You are going to get wetter than that," he reasoned. He removed his shirt and slacks. He was in his boxers. She looked at him oddly. He said, "Don't worry, I promise not to molest you. I just don't want my clothes all wet, all right?"

She nodded and started to unbutton her nightgown. There were so many little buttons. He turned off the water and kneeled down to help her. When the last button was unbuttoned, He helped her stand. He moved the material of the gown off her shoulders. She stood in all her glory, in only a pair of knickers. This would be difficult, he thought. He was already growing hard at the sight of her. He loved and desired her so much. Enough that he could do this, he could. He knew he could.

He bent down and removed her knickers. She blushed. He smiled widely and said, "I've seen you naked before, Granger. In fact, I have every mole, freckle, and dimple memorized."

She stepped over to the tub. He helped her step over the side. She sat down in the water, and he got on his knees, on the outside of the tub. He took the washcloth, and moved the soap back and forth over the wet terry cloth. When there were plenty of suds, he placed the washcloth on her bare back. He moved it in small circles. It felt heavenly. After washing her back, and shoulders, he told her to lean back. He washed her face, neck and arms. He put more soap on the cloth. He looked at her stomach. The scar was still present, but faded slightly. He washed under each breast, and then the tops. He paid special attention to them. With her eyes closed, he took the opportunity to lean in for a kiss. Her lips were soft and wet from the water. He continued washing her. He picked up one leg, washing it up and down, and then the other. The other leg still had some bruising, from the fracture. He was careful when he placed it back in the water. He put the cloth in the tub, and took a cup. Without warning, he put a cup full of water on her head. She opened her eyes and said, "Are you going to wash my hair?"

"Isn't that okay?" he asked.

"That would be wonderful," she admitted.

He stood up and removed his shorts. She opened one eye again and said, "You don't need that thing to wash my hair."

He looked down at his erection, and said, "I might." Then he laughed and said, "Scoot up. I'm getting in with you. I can reach your head better."

She doubted his intentions, and said, "It's not MY head I'm worried about."

He said, "Gee, Granger made a joke, will wonders never cease."

She would have said something smart back to him, but he was being unbearably sweet, so she shrugged, and moved forward. He came to sit behind her in the tub, the water swooshing around.

He put one more cup full of water over her head, and then took the shampoo, and worked it into a lather. He had always wanted to wash her hair. He didn't have a hair fetish, or anything. He had more of a 'Hermione fetish'. He just loved everything about her.

She rested her back against his chest. He said, "I can't wash your hair with you this close."

"Too bad, can't move, sleepy and relaxed," she answered cryptically. He smiled. He took one hand and pushed gently on her back, moving her up slightly. He rinsed her hair several times. When he finished, he reached forward, bending her body forward, and he turned on the water again. He took the cup and rinsed her hair three more times, with warm, clear water. He put the cup down, turned off the water, and reclined back, bringing her with him. He had his right arm across her chest, holding her shoulder. His left arm went around her waist. He kissed her neck, then her ear, then her cheek. She leaned her wet head on his shoulder and looked back at him.

"You give an excellent, bath, Malfoy," she said.

"I want extra credit for how much control I showed. If you were one hundred percent well, I would be shagging you into next week," he said, biting her ear.

"If we are careful, and you are gentle, I don't see the harm," she said, biting her bottom lip.

"Seriously?" he asked.

She turned around in the tub, so she faced him. He moved toward the middle, and she put her legs around him. She sat facing him. "I think we can manage."

Drowning:

She initiated the next kiss. She had missed him as much as he missed her. She felt his erection, hard and upright against her bare belly. He plunged his tongue deep in her mouth, and moaned.

"Hermione," he said, kissing her neck again. He sucked on the side of her neck; it tasted like the soap he used on her. Sweet and fragrant, he was in over his head. He said, "Are you sure?"

"Please," she said.

Please? "If you say please, well of course," he smiled. His left hand held her back, and his right hand went with his mouth to her left breast. He licked the wet skin, until her nipple was erect. He did the same to the other. As she sat slightly on his lap, with her legs sitting on top of his thighs, straddling him, he reached down and entered her with two fingers. She winced. He thought he caused her pain, so he withdrew.

"No, it's fine. It feels good," she assured him. He kissed her mouth again, warm, wet, and a little confused. He wanted her so much, but he was afraid of hurting her.

He removed his lips from hers and said, "We should wait until you feel better."

"Please," she said again. What was it with her saying please all the time, regarding sex? He could not refuse her. He kissed her and put both hands on her hips, raising her slightly, as well as pushing her slightly back on his thighs. He put his fingers back inside her, moving them up and down. She dropped her head back, and moaned.

"Oh, Granger," he said. He would not last long. He put his hands on her hips once more and placed her on his erect member. The water made for a nice connection. He moved her up and down, so she had to do very little work. She put her hands on his shoulders. Her head fell forward, and then back. He had a brief thought that the movement of her head, back and forth, could not be good on her healing neck.

That was his last coherent thought.

She moaned again, and he grimaced. It would be soon. Very, very soon. His legs shook, and he moved her up and down just twice more. She almost fell backwards in the tub when they climaxed. It took all his determination and strength to hold her upright. When finished, they embraced each other, his arms around hers, her arms tucked under his. His hands went up and down her back. Her cheek was on his shoulder. She looked at his scar. Thank goodness, it was fading.

He said, "We need another bath."

She said, "I think I would die if we had another bath."

He laughed and said, "A real bath."

"Oh, yes, sure, whatever. Do whatever you want. I, on the other hand, can't move," she said, pulling her legs out from around his waist, turning back around, and relaxing her back against his chest. He took his wand from the floor and warmed the water.

"Take a little nap," he suggested.

"I might drown, if I nap in the tub," she smiled.

"Would I let you drown?" he asked with a smile.

All of the sudden, she got a flash of one of her dreams. Drowning. Cold water. Going under the water, and darkness. She started hyperventilating. He had his eyes closed, and did not even realize at first. She said, "I can't breath." He opened his eyes, and looked down at her face. She looked scared.

He stood up quickly, and bent down and picked her up out of the tub. He wrapped a towel around her. She stood there, taking short, little breaths.

"What's going on with you?" he asked her, scared.

"Help me, Draco," she said, also scared.

What was he supposed to do?


	13. Part XIII

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XIII:**

Breathe, just Breathe:

Draco grabbed her shoulders and shook her soundly, even though that did not seem to help. He remembered once hearing if a person could talk, then they could still breathe. He said, "Can you talk?"

She was shaking all over, and her breathing was akin to short, little, hitches. She could not speak, so she shook her head no. He picked her up and ran down the stairs, both of them only in towels. He ran out the front door, the cold air blasting his skin. He yelled, "DON!"

Don and Nick were roaming the outer walls of the yard, in their animagus form. When he was a wolf, Don was brown, and very large. Nick was slightly smaller, with longer hair, and three brown paws and one white. Both wolves looked at each other. They jumped the fence, turning back to men, running toward the sound of Draco's screams. Don reached out for Hermione and said, "What's wrong?" He rushed her back in the house.

"She said she couldn't breathe," Draco said, clearly upset.

Don placed her on the couch, in a sitting position. He told his brother to see if there was a paper bag in the kitchen, if not, transfigure something into a paper bag. Nick ran out of sight, returning in a flash with a paper bag. Don held it up to her mouth and nose and told her to breathe deeply. Soon, she was no longer hyperventilating.

Nick took off his shirt and put it around her shoulders. She put her arms in the sleeves. "What caused this reaction?" Nick asked, sitting beside her on the couch.

"I remembered something, something from my dream. Something about drowning," she said, sobs breaking through each word.

"What were you doing when you remembered, and can you tell me what it was you remembered?" Nick asked. Draco and Don stood in front of Hermione. She turned to look at Nick.

"I was taking a bath," Hermione said. Don looked at Draco, standing there in a towel, and raised his eyebrows in question. Draco gave him a two-fingered salute. Hermione continued, "And Draco said something about not letting me drown, and that's when I remembered something about drowning in my dreams. The water was so cold, and everything was black, and I couldn't breath."

Nick took her hand and said, "You drown in your dream, or Helga does?"

"I don't know. I assume it is I. I don't really recall," she said, her tears ending.

"We need to hypnotize you now, while it's fresh," Nick said, but not looking at Hermione. He was looking at Draco.

Before Draco could voice his opinion, Don yelled, "No, not now. Let her rest."

Nick stood and said, "The sooner we find out what Helga wants, the sooner we can put both her and Salazar's souls to rest. This will be beneficial for not only Hermione and Draco, but for our brother as well."

Draco said, "I agree with Don, not today. Come on, Hermione." He took her arm, and led her upstairs. She looked back at Nick with a sorry expression on her face.

Later that day, Hermione sat by the fireplace, reading a book. Draco walked up to her and said, "Do you think you would be alright if I went to visit my mother for a few hours?"

"No, that's fine, but remember, she speaks to my mum and dad a lot anymore, and they don't know anything about what's going on, so don't let her know anything, either," she warned.

"The dogs are still outside, so whistle to them if you need anything," Draco said, sarcastically. He added, "You do know how to whistle, don't you? You just pucker up and blow."

She smiled and said, "That line is from an old Muggle movie, you know."

"You don't say?" he rolled his eyes. He leaned down and said, "Give me a kiss, Granger. Just pucker up, no need to blow." He kissed her lips, and she lightly smacked his face.

"You are a cheeky, bugger," she said.

"You shock and dismay me with your language," he joked. He waved and walked outside. Bill had wards up against Draco and Hermione disapparating from the house.

As soon as she was sure he was gone, she put her book down and stood from her chair. She walked over to the window. There was the light brown wolf with the one white paw. She opened the door and called out, "Nick?"

The wolf looked at her and ran toward the house. He turned to a man and said, "You called?"

She smiled and said, "Where's Don?"

"He went to tell our parents about Paul. We were putting off telling them, because they have already suffered enough, losing Terry," he explained.

Hermione felt terrible for their family. She asked something that she had not even intended to ask, "Why are you doing this for us? Risking your lives, to save Draco and me?"

"Hermione," he said, taking a deep breath, "I really can't tell you that right now. I wish I could, but it is not my story to tell. I am sorry. Now, what can I do for you? Wait a minute, where's Draco?" He was suddenly worried.

"He went to the Manor, to see his mother," she said.

"NO!" Nick shouted, "He shouldn't have left here! Moreover, I am alone, so I cannot follow him and watch you as well. Why did he leave?"

"I think he just missed his mother," she said truthfully.

"Hermione, go back inside now, I have to think for a moment," he said, smiling weakly at her.

"Wait," she said as he was turning around. "While we are alone, do you want to do something?"

He grinned and said, "I don't know what you have in mind, but I will remind you that Paul's the brother in love with you, and I have a girlfriend whom I love very much." She looked shocked and he said, "I'm kidding. What are you suggesting?"

"Put me under hypnosis again. Help me discover what's happening," she suggested.

He thought for a moment and then said, "I don't think so, not just you and I alone. If something would happen to you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"Please, Nick. It might be our only chance."

"Hermione, I feel such a deep connection with you, maybe there's another way, where you can stay conscious, and I can discover what's going on, if you would allow me to," he said.

She nodded and opened the front door wider. He stepped inside.

What Nick Discovered:

Nick and Hermione walked in the living room of Shell Cottage. They sat beside each other on the couch. He said, "Hermione, I believe I could easily use Legilimency to extract your memories and emotions that you have felt during your dreams."

"I didn't know you were a Legilimens?" Hermione said.

"Yes and a very good one. Sometimes I can ascertain emotions from people without even maintaining eye contact. Sometimes I can just touch them. Other times the connection is so strong, all I have to do is enter a room with them. I feel that connection with you. I'm told it is a gift, although it has also been a curse at times as well. Imagine growing up, feeling what people really felt, and then being confused when they said they felt something entirely different. I learned that people lie very early in my life. It caused a lot of confusion, to my young impressionable mind," he said with a sad smile.

"It almost sounds more like you are telepathic, or a mind reader. I don't really believe in that," she said.

He leaned over, winked and said, "I knew you were going to say that."

She smiled and said, "Fine, you have me convinced. What do you need me to do?"

"Nothing. Just relax, hold my hand, and look deeply in my eyes," he said.

She did as instructed, and said, "You're eyes are an amazing colour of blue. Almost azure," she said.

"Enough flirting," he laughed, "I told you it would never work between us." She hit his arm slightly, and took his hands again and looked into his dark, azure blue eyes. Hermione took a deep breath and started to relax. Then, the onslaught began.

_Hermione had just come back to Hogwarts. It was still summer, and she had four more weeks of vacation left, however, she was anxious to return. Truthfully, her parents were driving her crazy. They had bought a new house, moved in, opened their office back up, and was now planning her wedding. She just needed the peace and quiet that Hogwarts offered. She lied to them and said she was required to go back early._

_She also missed Draco, so much. It hurt how much she missed him. As soon as she arrived back to the school, Professor McWhorter found her, and told her that they had finally gotten permission to excavate the site of the original Hogwarts castle, and that they had already found several artifacts. She always thought Hermione was one of the best students she had ever taught, and she desperately wanted her help with the excavation. Hermione was thrilled._

_The first day back, and already something to take her mind off missing Draco. She dropped her things off in her new room, and followed Davina to the site. Hermione was fascinated with everything they had found so far, even though it only amounted to a few items. One of them, a long pewter cylinder with runes written on it, especially caught her eye. It had a familiar marking on it. Hermione asked if she could examine the runes. Davina was elated, and told her to take it up to the castle and examine it at her leisure._

_She took it to her room. She started looking at her Ancient Runes textbook, from her school days. Only a few of the markings were similar to those in the text. She took a piece of parchment, and copied all the runes found there. She wrote the translations of the recognizable ones above the appropriate runes._

_Something was bothering her about one in particular. It seemed so strangely similar to the runes on Helga Hufflepuff's cup. In fact, it might be the exact same rune. She had not looked at the cup for over two years. She was afraid of the cup; she did not even know why she had kept it. She went to the bottom of her trunk, which was in the corner of her bedroom. She opened the trunk, and removed the false bottom. There were two secret compartments in the bottom. One, she kept mementos from her childhood, the other she kept the cup._

_She removed the cup from its hiding place, and unwrapped it from the black scarf, which had covered it since the day she destroyed the Horcrux. She held the smooth, golden chalice in her hands. She was still afraid of it, to this day. She walked over to the pewter cylinder, and put the cup on the table beside it. The runes matched. How odd. Maybe the cylinder belonged to Helga as well._

_Hermione did not know what prompted her, but she placed the cylinder on top of the cup. Strange. They fit together, almost as if they were made to fit. The cylinder covered the cup completely. Hermione removed the cup from the cylinder. She wrapped the cup back up in the scarf, and placed it back in the trunk. She walked back toward her table, and picked up the cylinder. It grew hot in her hand. It was so hot, that she dropped it to the floor. She suddenly felt nauseated and dizzy. She fell down on her knees, landing on the floor._

_When she awoke, she had no memory of what happened. What was she doing on the floor? She sat up, and tried to remember what she was doing before she woke up. She could not remember a thing. The last thing she remembered was sitting at her table, and opening up her Ancient Runes book, to examine the runes on the cylinder. _

_It must have been the heat. _

_That was what she told herself._

_That night, she had her first nightmare._

_She woke up, exactly at 2:14 am, shaking and sweating profusely. She went to open her window. She was having trouble breathing. She breathed in the night air, drinking it with an unbridle thirst._

_She finally went back to sleep. When she woke up the next morning, she had scratches on her stomach. There were three scratches, right across her lower abdomen, which resembled fingernail marks. She must have scratched herself, somehow._

_That was the first night._

_The second night, she woke up at 2:15 am. She was sweating again, and she felt her face. It was wet with tears. Why was she crying? That night, she had red marks on both arms. The next morning, they turned to bluish/green bruises._

_The third night, she woke up at 2:13 am. She woke up, screaming. She leaned over in her bed, and threw up right on the floor. She could not sleep the rest of the night. She went and took a hot bath, and then wrote a letter to Draco. She just told him that she loved and missed him. She went to the owlery, and called for her owl, Athena. She attached the letter to her leg._

_The dreams (nightmares) continued for two weeks before she saw the Medi-witch. She thought all the bruising and marks were odd. She even had a terrible deep scratch on the top of her right hand and a large purple bruise on her left hip. Madame Pomfrey told her she was suffering from stress and she was having night terrors. She saw no signs that Hermione had been cursed and hexed. Just good old-fashioned stress._

_That diagnosis did nothing to relieve her. The nurse gave her a sleeping draught, which she would take that night. She went to her classroom, to work on her lesson plans, but she took out the cylinder instead. Why did she have an uneasy feeling that the cylinder and the night terrors were related somehow to Voldemort's Horcruxes? She did not know why she thought that, but she did. _

_That day, Draco came back. She told him about her bruises. He did not seem too concerned, so she would not let on how upset she was._

_That night, again at 2:13, she woke up crying, once again. Draco tried to calm her, but she had the worse dream ever that night. She could not remember it, but she knew it was bad. She told Draco she never remembered her dreams, but that night, she lied. She did remember them, if only a small bit. She remembered seeing a woman, with long blond hair, and a man, with dark hair and a beard, and water. A lot of water. That was all she remembered._

Nick stopped the session. Hermione was upset when he let go of her hands. "Was this the first time you remembered the connection between the cup and the cylinder?" Nick asked.

"Yes," she said, "I didn't even remember bringing the cup out of my trunk until just now. At least now, I know why I've always felt the dreams and the cylinder were connected to the Horcruxes. Do you think the cylinder was made to protect the cup?" She asked.

"No," Nick admitted, "I think the cylinder was Helga's Horcrux."

As soon as he said that, another flash of memory came to the front of her mind.

Questions and Answers:

"You think Helga's soul wasn't in the cup with Salazar's?" Hermione asked.

Nick hesitated, he said, "I told you I have abilities. Since Paul has been in his coma, I have been able to see things, things that only he knows, but because of his unconscious state, has not been able to relay to us. Only Salazar's soul was in the cup. I am sure of that now. I think hers was in the cylinder, the protective sleeve, and I think you released them both when you placed them together."

"Then why aren't their spirits aware of each other? His seems to border between thinking she died that night in the cave, and thinking I am she. I don't know what hers thinks, because I haven't felt her presence in a long time," said Hermione.

"I don't think she's gone. I think she still visits you," Nick began, "but, I also think she doesn't want to scare you, so she's not made you aware of her visits. I think the times Salazar thinks you are Helga, are the times she is inside you. She wants to get a message to him somehow, what that is, I'm not sure."

"What does he want?" she asked.

"I'm afraid to find that one out and I have no clues there either," Nick admitted.

Hermione stood up and shouted, "Then we've done no good here today! We are no closer to finding out the truth!"

He stood beside her, "You are so wrong, Hermione. We found out a lot. Let's not tell the others what we have found out, not yet, okay. Maybe in a day or two, we can try this again. Help you remember your dream. I think that will tell us the most."

"Try now!" she urged. She already was beginning to remember her dream, and she wanted to know the rest.

"No, you need some rest, and so do I. Using my skills tires me sometimes," he said. He went to walk outside, but Don entered the cottage at that moment.

Don said, "I was worried. You left your post."

Nick looked at Hermione, and then to his brother, and said, "Hermione needed to talk to me for a minute."

"About what?" Don asked.

"She wanted to ask me how Paul was," Nick lied.

Don looked at him suspiciously. Hermione could tell Don knew Nick was lying. However, Don said, "Where's Draco?"

Hermione spoke before Nick, maybe he wouldn't see through her fabrication. "He's upstairs, resting. He didn't get much sleep last night."

Don was better than Hermione gave him credit. Maybe he was a Legilimens, too. Don looked upset and said, "Now try telling me the truth."

Hermione was the one who looked upset now and said, "Fine, he went to the Manor to see his mum."

"He shouldn't have gone anywhere!" Don yelled. He grabbed Nick's collar and pushed him outside. He looked at Hermione and said, "I'm putting a locking charm on the door, so you can't leave either. I'm going to go and get Draco." He slammed the door shut.

At the Manor, Draco had been having a nice time visiting with his mum. He had to lie to her, things like, 'yes, everything's going good', and 'Hermione loves the gown you picked out', even though Draco didn't know they had picked out a gown for Hermione. He visited for over an hour, then told his mother he needed to look at the family records, and were they still down in the family vault.

"No, darling, they are up in the library, actually," Mrs. Malfoy told him.

"Why are they in the library?" he asked.

"That very nice Mr. Boot, your mentor, was here yesterday. He asked me if he could see them, and I didn't see the harm. I had one of the house elves bring all five of the massive tomes upstairs to the library so he could examine them."

"How would he know we even kept extensive family records?" he asked.

"Sweetheart, he's a pureblood too, so I'm sure his family does the same thing. I told him the oldest tomes were written in runes, but he said he would be able to translate," his mother said.

"Mother, I wish you hadn't let him look at them," Draco said, upset.

"I'm sorry. They just list our family tree, and birthplaces and death dates, marriages. There's nothing personal in there," she explained.

A small little elf walked into the large lounge and told Mrs. Malfoy that Master Draco had a visitor. Draco stood up. Who knew he was here?

"I'll go see who it is, mother," he left the room, and headed toward the front doors. Outside stood Don Boot.

"Draco, I can't protect you if keep running away," Don said.

"I'm safe here," Draco started, but then he realized something. How could Don Boot just come up to their front door? Not just this time, but when he came to look at their records. Malfoy Manor had more wards and charms protecting it than perhaps even the Ministry. "Don, how is it you are just able to casually stroll to our front door and ring the bell?"

"Your wards do not keep out family members, isn't that right?" Don asked.

"Correct."

"You've answered your own question," Don said, adding, "Now, tell you mother goodbye and come with me."

"What are you trying to say?" Draco yelled.

"I really will tell you what I know, even though to do so desperately goes against centuries of secrets. Please, you are not safe here," Don said.

"I'm not afraid of some ghost!" Draco shouted.

"Neither am I, so do you really think that's what I mean?" Don was upset. Draco told Don to stay there. He went to tell his mother goodbye. She wanted to know if she would see them at Christmas. He really couldn't promise her anything. He told her he would write soon.

He went to the door again, and Don said, "We have to get back to the cottage; I'll meet you outside the cottage door."

Both men apparated to the front garden. Nick, once more a wolf, was roaming the yard back and forth. Don gave him a warning look, and used his wand to open the door. "After you," he said to Draco.

"Why did you lock the door with Magic?" Draco asked.

"So you won't be able to escape again," Don said.

Draco asked, "Are you coming in to tell me your secrets?"

"Yes, just go on in the cottage, and I'll be right behind you," Don said. Draco thought he sounded truthful, so he walked in the door. Hermione was waiting for him. Don slammed the door shut and once more locked it with magic. Draco turned and banged on the door. He heard Don shout, "Soon, Draco. I will answer your questions soon, just not today."

Draco kicked the door. "Damn, him!"

Hermione walked up to Draco and put her arm on his back. "What?"

He whipped around. He told her about how Don had visited his house yesterday, and examined their family archives. Something he found within them must have prompted him to come to her room at St. Mungos, point a wand at them, and force them to go into hiding. He also told her about his cryptic reference to being related to him, somehow.

Hermione was as confused as Draco. She asked, "Do you want some lunch?'

"Are you cooking?" he asked.

"Do you want to cook?' she asked back.

They walked to the kitchen. As the soup was simmering, Hermione stood at the stove, wooden spoon in hand. However, she wasn't paying any attention to the soup. She was trying to figure out how she could tell Draco what she and Nick discovered today, even though Nick didn't want anyone to know yet. She was so distracted in her thoughts, that she didn't realize the soup started boiling over. He walked up to the stove, turned off the burner, and removed the saucepan.

"Do you want to burn the soup?" he asked.

"Is that possible?" she laughed.

"Why are you so distracted?" he asked, pouring the soup into two bowls. He sat at the table, and she joined him. He handed her a spoon. She didn't answer him right away, so they both just started eating.

After several long moments, she prompted, "Draco?"

"Yes?" he asked annoyed.

"Nick helped me remember some things today, while you were gone," she said timidly. The reaction she got from him was worse than she imagined. He turned the table over, spilling soup, and throwing dishes everywhere. Hermione stood up quickly, and backed toward the cabinets.

"That was stupid!" Draco yelled.

Hermione pointed to the mess on the floor and said, "No! That was stupid!"

He walked up to her and grabbed her shoulders. "It's too dangerous. Each time we have been under hypnosis, something bad has happened!"

"Draco, if you would have given me a minute, before you destroyed the kitchen, I would have explained," Hermione began, "he used Legilimency on me. He saw into my memories, and helped me to remember things, which I had suppressed. I was not in any danger, whatsoever, and he did not push me, either. When I was tired, he quit. It was my idea, not his."

"What did you remember?" Draco asked, coming up and putting his hand under her chin.

She actually remembered more than Nick revealed, so she walked to the living room and sat on the couch. She asked Draco to join her. She would tell him everything that she remembered.


	14. Part XIV

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XIV:**

Hermione Tries To Remember:

One time, when Draco Malfoy was small, he hid under his dining room table. His parents had been arguing, which they very rarely did. The Manor was a massive place, and he could have hidden almost anywhere to escape their argument, but he chose under the dining room table.

He went right to the middle, and wrapped his arms and legs around one of the massive table legs. He heard quick footsteps on the marble floor of the entryway. Someone was approaching. It was his father and mother. "You put your family in jeopardy, Lucius," Narcissa said.

"I do this for my family. I will do whatever I can to protect them! All that matters in this world are you and my son," Lucius said in return.

To this day, Draco has no idea why his parents were arguing. All he remembered, as if it were yesterday, were the words his father spoke. He said he would do whatever he could to protect his family. All that mattered in the world was his wife and son. Draco felt the exact same way. All that mattered was his family. He would protect them at all cost. Hermione was now his family. He would do anything to keep her safe.

As they sat on the sofa, he was confused as to why that certain memory popped into his mind. Maybe his self-conscious was reminding him of what was important. He held her hand and urged her to continue. He would let his anger subside, and take on her burden. He would do whatever it took to protect her.

"Whatever you have to tell me, I want you to know that everything will be okay," he reminded her.

She smiled and said, "I hope so, because I am afraid what I am about to say may anger you."

"I have been angry for so long, that I am so tired of it. I don't want to be angry anymore. Just tell me," he said, stroking his thumb over her hand.

"I remember a part of my dream. Just flashes really. I remembered a part of it last night, and then again in the tub, but this morning, when Nick looked into my memories, I recovered more of my dream," she expounded.

"Go on," he said. He was worried.

"All I remember is being in a dark chamber, and there is an underground spring. I am pushed under the water and held under, until I start to drown. I fight and cry out. The water is so cold, and completely dark. I feel so afraid. I come up for a moment, to see who is holding me under," she said and then she stopped.

"Can you see who it is?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered.

"Who is it?" he asked anxiously.

"It's just a dream, and it makes no sense, but it's you. It's clearly you," she told him.

He immediately frowned. He promised he would not become angry, but this somehow made him feel very angry. He stood up and said, "We need to get Nick in here. You need to find out exactly what your dream entails."

She came to stand beside him, taking his hand. "It means nothing. It's a manifestation of all my worries."

"What if it's a foreshadowing of what is yet to come," he asked.

"Do you plan on drowning me?" she asked, trying to make light, but feeling the opposite.

"No," he admitted, "but I didn't plan on jumping off a balcony with you either." He said, "I'm really sorry, Hermione, but I can't rest until I know exactly what your dream means. I also need to find out what the hell Don Boot meant when he said we were family."

He went over to the front door, but it would not open. He banged on the door. He went to the picture window and looked outside. He could not see the wolves. "Where are they?" he asked.

Hermione came to stand beside him. She said, "Look, I see Don, over there, under that tree."

Draco banged on the window. The wolf looked at him and ran away.

"Why are they hiding us here? There has to be more to this than just hiding us from a couple of ghost," Draco said.

"Draco, maybe I can try really hard to remember on my own," she said.

He turned to her. "How?" he asked.

"Maybe if I really, really, relax. I was relaxed in the tub earlier, and just the simple word 'drown' made me remember. Let us try," she said. She went to lie down on the sofa. She put a throw over her legs. She said, "Draco turn out all the lights, pull the drapes, and stoke the fire."

He did as instructed and he walked back to the couch. "What can I do?" he asked.

"Sit on the end of the couch, and just be with me," she said. He sat near her feet, taking them in his lap. He rested his arm on her legs. She felt the memory was right at the edge of her consciousness, waiting to be revealed. She cleared her mind, and tried to listen to the sound of Draco's breathing. He was breathing so softly, she had to strain to listen. She started to feel very sleepy. Falling asleep would not help her remember. However, she had no choice. She was soon asleep.

Draco could tell she had fallen asleep. It was 1:08 in the afternoon. He did not think she meant to fall asleep, but she had been very tired. He would let her sleep awhile and then come and wake her. He gently lifted her feet from his lap, and walked into the dining room, taking the book she was reading earlier with him.

_Hermione was dreaming. It was a familiar dream. She was in a dark enclosure, no larger than an average room, and it was freezing cold. It was underground. There were candles lit on the walls. She looked down, and saw a spring, right there in the room. It was a small pool, in one corner of the room, which led to an iron grate. The spring flowed under the iron grate, to places unknown. She did not like it here. She knew she had been here before._

_She wanted to wake up. She tried to walk toward the door, but the door disappeared. She turned back around, falling on the cold, hard, stone floor. She struggled to stand, and someone offered her a hand. It was Draco._

"_What are you doing here, Hermione?" he asked._

"_I'm trying to remember my dream," she said._

"_I can help," he answered._

"_How?" she asked._

"_By this," he said, and he lifted her up. She felt safe in his arms. Then, the unthinkable happened. He threw her in the small pool. She sank like a stone. She finally reached the bottom, and kicked up with her feet, to emerge back to the surface._

_Draco was standing by the side of the pool. He reached out his hand. She was afraid to take it. She tried to climb out of the pool herself, but he used his foot and pushed her back under. He kneeled down, holding her head under with his hands. _

_She was losing the battle. Her lungs felt like they would explode. She saw white lights exploding in her head, and his hands on her shoulders were causing unbearable pain. She finally could no longer fight, and she sank to the bottom. She felt her life slipping away. She was dying._

Wake Up!

Draco had started reading the book, when her cries began. He left the book on the table and ran to the living room. She was thrashing around on the couch. The throw was tossed to the floor, and her hands were out in front of her, as if fighting an unseen assailant. He shook her shoulders, to try to wake her.

"HERMIONE! WAKE UP!" he kept shouting, repeatedly. He could not wake her. He went to the window. He could not see either wolf. He started banging on the window. He took his wand, and tried to open the door. He looked back at her, crying and wiggling in pain on the sofa. He could not open the door. He tried to break the window, first with his wand, and then he tried to throw a chair through it. It would not break. He went back to her.

"Please, wake up!" He started to shake her again. He ran to the fireplace, extinguishing the flames quickly with his wand. He stuck his hand up the chimney, and sent out his patronus. He needed help.

Don Boot was at the back of the house, when he saw a misty silver dragon leave the fireplace. It was heading right toward him. He did not stay to listen to the message. He ran to the house, uttered the spell to open the door, and ran inside. He saw a frantic Draco standing over a sleeping Hermione. Nothing seemed amiss.

"What happened?" he shouted.

"She was dreaming, and it was terrible. She was shouting and crying. She has calmed down now, but I can't wake her. Try to wake her for me," Draco urged Don.

Don walked up to Hermione. Now that he was standing over her, he could tell she was far from peaceful. He touched her face. It was ice cold. She almost looked dead. He used his wand to open the front door, and told Draco to find Nick.

Nick and Draco ran back into the living room.

"She won't wake?" Nick asked. Draco and Don both nodded. "What was she doing before this happened?"

"She was trying to remember her dream, when she actually fell asleep. Then she started crying and screaming, and now this," Draco cried out.

Nick sat beside her on the couch. He held her hands. He shut his eyes. He stayed motionless like that for many long moments. Draco was about to go stir crazy, when Nick opened his eyes.

"She's fine. She will wake up now," Nick said. He touched her shoulder and said, "Hermione, wake up, and when you do, I want you to remember everything."

She woke up and sat bolt upright. She threw her arms around Nick and started to cry. "I remember my dream. Draco tried to kill me," she cried.

Draco backed up to the wall. He finally knew her assumptions were true. In her nightmare, he tried to kill her every night. Hermione looked around for Draco and held out her hand to him. How could she want him near, when she dreamt he murdered her every night?

"Draco, come here," she requested. Nick stood up, but Draco stayed by the wall. She moved her legs around to the floor.

"I remembered. I dreamt that you were trying to kill me. You were drowning me. It happened in that little chamber they uncovered at the site of the old castle," Hermione stated.

"How did you know about that room? We were all careful not to tell you," Nick said.

"I don't know, I just knew," she said.

"That's the room Paul collapsed in, the first night of his coma," Don said.

"What was that room used for?" Draco asked.

"I don't think they know," Don answered.

"I think we need to go to that room. I think everything points to that room," Nick said.

Don stood up and said, "Not right now, though." He gave his brother a warning look.

Nick stormed outside.

Don said, "Hermione, everything will be fine now. You try to rest," and he left as well.

Draco stared at Hermione. Hermione said, "Draco, come here please."

"You really do dream every night that I kill you, don't you?" he asked.

She did. She remembered her dreams now, and that was what she dreamt, every single night. "I'm sure it has something to do with Helga and Salazar," she said, still holding out her hand for him.

"How could it? She didn't die by drowning. He didn't kill her," Draco almost shouted.

"But, I didn't die by drowning either!" She stormed up to him.

"Like I said before, maybe your dreams are a foreshadowing of what's to come," he said.

"That's stupid!" she spat. "I'm not a seer. Anyway, why would you kill me? You love me!"

"Exactly, that's why I have to leave you. Until this is all over. I don't want to hurt you," he said.

"If you leave me, that will hurt me," she reasoned.

"Fine, I can't go anywhere anyway, since I can't get out of this bloody house!" he said, running up the stairs, and slamming the door to the guest bedroom.

That is where he spent the rest of his evening. Hermione fixed him a plate for dinner, and left it outside the door. When night came, she finally went to bed, in Bill's room, and tried to get some sleep. Around 11:00 pm, Draco opened the door and walked downstairs. He only made it down two steps, when he heard Don and Nick talking.

"We can only protect them for so longer. What's meant to be will be," Nick said.

"I'm not giving up that easily, and you shouldn't either," Don said.

"Look at all we have lost already. Terry first, and now perhaps Paul," Nick said. Draco could tell he was crying.

"You are the one who told me what Paul saw in the chamber," Don said.

"I wish I hadn't seen it, and I wish I hadn't told you," Nick said. "I didn't know just by touching his hand while he slept in his hospital bed, that I would see his dreams. Now we know it's true, for Hermione is dreaming the same thing."

"I refuse to believe Draco will ever try to kill her," Don said simply.

"Believe or not, Hermione's and Paul's dreams are identical. With Paul in the coma, we don't know that Salazar has not already left him. He could try to enter Draco again, and so Hermione is not safe! Why did you bring them both here?" Nick asked, "You were supposed to stun Draco in the hospital, and just bring her here. She's the one we have to keep safe!"

"Lower your voice!" His brother said sternly. "Our duty is to protect them both. That is the providence of our ancestors. We are to protect the descendents of the founders. That includes them both. Don't you believe in the prophecy anymore? Our own mother pronounced it, and she has never had a false vision."

Nick stood up and said, "And neither have I! I tell you, I saw Draco kill Hermione when I touched Paul's hand. Hermione's saw the same thing!"

"But, you didn't see it. You are counting on second hand accounts. Paul's mind could be muddled due to the coma, or from false images planted there by the evil spirit of Slytherin!" Don warned.

"What of Hermione's dreams? How do you explain those? She couldn't be dreaming of Helga's death, for she didn't die from drowning. We should know that better than anyone, since we are the keepers of the records," Nick said. He put his head down almost all the way to his knees. He was so tired.

Don put his hand on his back and said, "I know this is hard. I know you miss your girlfriend, and you are scared. It's fine if you want to leave, but I can't."

Don Reveals a Small Part of the Story:

Draco took that opportunity to show himself. Draco walked the rest of the ways down the stairs. When he reached the bottom he said, "Is it fine if I leave as well? I don't want to have the chance to hurt Hermione."

Don asked, "how much did you overhear?'

"Enough to know that Nick really thinks I am going to kill her," Draco said, with a deep sigh.

"Don, take Draco away. At least for a while. I'll stay with Hermione. Let me try to find the underlying cause of her dream. Please, I would feel better, and I think Draco would as well," Nick said.

Don felt defeated. He sat down and said, "Draco, I wish I could tell you more, to set your mind at ease, but I can't, not yet. I don't think we should separate you two."

Nick stood up in anger and said, "By all means, don't listen to the man who has second sight. Let's all listen to Don!" He stormed out the door.

Don said, "He will calm down. I am staying here in the house tonight, so why don't you go on up to bed."

"Are you staying in the house to protect Hermione from me?" Draco wondered.

"No, to protect you from yourself. Listen, Malfoy, I feel I have come to know you pretty well, and you are your own worse enemy. Go on, go to bed," Don said, lying down on the couch.

Draco walked back upstairs. He walked up to the door to the room Hermione was in, and then he sat down on the floor, out in the hall. He refused to go to sleep.

At 2:12 am, Hermione began to have her nightmare. She started thrashing around the bed. She had her same dream only this time it ended differently:

_Hermione's spirit rose from the water. She no longer saw Draco beside the pool. She saw Salazar Slytherin. Hermione also saw another. She saw a woman, face down in the small pool of water, with her robes and hair floating all around her. Even without seeing the woman's face, she knew it was Hufflepuff. Hermione could only watch from above, she could do nothing to help her._

_Salazar reached in and pulled her out of the spring. He lifted her body to his and cradled it in his arms, rocking back and forth. He was crying. He howled and screamed. What did it all mean?_

Hermione woke with a blood-curdling scream! Draco jumped up from where he was dozing in the hallway. He ran in her room as Don ran up the stairs. She was sitting in her bed, crying. Draco instinctively ran to her side. He hushed her, and held her tight. Don stood in the doorway. Hermione said, "It's not me in pool, and it's not Draco! It's them. It Hufflepuff and Slytherin." Draco looked up at Don, as he continued to rock Hermione back and forth.

Finally, she stopped crying. Draco lay back on the bed, and pulled her to his side. He stroked his fingers up and down her arm. Don felt as if he was intruding, but he came and sat in the chair. After a few quiet moments, Don said, "A long time ago, my mother had a vision. She was known for her gift for prophecy and seeing the future. Nick inherited his abilities from her. His is even a greater gift, but he has yet to be able to completely control it, as she does."

Draco and Hermione looked at Don, in the semi dark room, hoping he would continue. He did.

"My mother is a direct descent of Rowena Ravenclaw. Her family has always been known as the record keepers. They have kept records of all four founders, not just Ravenclaw, for thousands of years. As you probably know, most pureblood families are related. Not just those here in England, put all throughout Europe."

"To get back to my mother's prophecy, many years ago, she had a vision. A vision of an heir of Hufflepuff falling in love with an heir of Ravenclaws. This vision was very clear. She specifically saw that the Hufflepuff heir was a Muggle-born, and that the Ravenclaw heir was pureblood. She saw that they would start as enemies, and turn to lovers. She foresaw a great future for them, but she also saw tragedy. She knew they had a great destiny to fulfill, but they had to be able to stay together, to fulfill that destiny. She has yet to reveal to us what that destiny is, but after the war, she saw who the girl and the boy were. She named you both by name. She knew you would fall in love before you knew it."

Hermione and Draco looked at each other in shock. They were both sitting up in the bed by this time. Hermione, who was still upset from her dream, was shaking. Draco put his arm around her. Don came and sat on the edge of the bed. Hermione said, "How could I be an heir of Hufflepuff? Your mother herself knew I was a Muggle-born."

"Hermione," Don said, "Remember the story of Hufflepuff. Know one really knows her background. She was taken in and raised by the Hufflepuffs, but her parentage was never known, and she herself suspected her real parents to be Muggles. That could be the tie between you two."

Draco looked at Don and then to Hermione. While looking at Hermione, he said, "But, I'm not related to Ravenclaw." He looked back over to Don.

"Yes, you are, on your father's mother's side. I knew that from the records we had, but I had to examine your records to be sure, and you are," Don said plainly.

"You said you don't know what your mother's prophecy entails? Who would know beside your mother?" Hermione asked.

"No one. She has never proclaimed the prophecy to anyone. She said she would reveal it when the time is right, and not before. The only thing I know is that she thought it was important enough to keep you both safe that she sent her youngest son and her favourite by the way, back to Hogwarts that year to watch over you. When Terry was made aware of the danger you were in, our mother told the rest of us to watch you as well. I only wish it had made a difference. I only wished Terry hadn't died." Don hung his head, in shame and sorrow. Hermione crawled to the end of the bed, and hugged him from behind.

"Thank you for telling us, and thank you for keeping us safe," she whispered in his ear. She place a kiss on his cheek, and went back to sit by Draco.

Don stood up from the bed and said, "I'm glad you finally recall your dream. Now maybe we can all get some sleep. Draco, stay here with her. I'm going to have a quick look around outside, and then I will go back down to the couch."

Don left the room, and Hermione buried her head in Draco's shoulder. He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek. He said, "I have more questions than answers, don't you?"

"Yes, but everyday we find out more. Everything will be fine," Hermione said, reassuring him. He turned to his side, and pulled her up to his body. They lay side by side, facing each other.

"I'll always take care of you," Draco said.

"I'll always take care of you, too," she said with a small smile.

"Good, I need someone to take care of me," he said, kissing her mouth. He closed his eyes, for sleeping was calling to him, and finally, for the first time in a long time, he felt like answering the call.


	15. Part XV

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XV:**

Nick visits Paul:

Nick Boot left Shell cottage that night. He knew Draco and Hermione would be safe, since Don was staying in the house. He needed to be with his little brother. He felt desperate, alone, and afraid. He needed answers. If Don would not help him, he would search for the answers by himself. He knew it was pre-ordained for his family to protect the heirs of the founders, and he tried to convince himself that was what he was trying to do.

If only he had done more to help Terry, before he died. Why did he not foresee Terry's death? What was the use of having second sight, if you cannot even save your own family? Well, he would save Paul. He would not lose another brother. He did not care about duty anymore. He did not care that it was the duty of his family, and had been the duty of his family for almost a thousand years, to protect the founders' descendents. Right now, he only wanted to protect his little brother.

Right or wrong, it was what he was going to do.

He went to Paul's hospital bed. He was still unconscious, but with Don's insistence, there were restraints on his wrist and legs. Nick's parents had just left to go get some sleep. He sat in a chair beside his brother's bed, and held his brother's hand. He shut his eyes. He concentrated very hard. He would use his power of Legilimency to uncover the secrets that so far had evaded them. He did not usually like to probe people's minds without their consent. He felt it was wrong. But then again, he just decided that right or wrong, he would do what he must.

Soon, the visions flowed into his mind, but the visions and memories that came did not belong to Paul Boot.

_As soon as Helga was strong enough to leave the cave, Salazar picked her up, and went back down the hill. As they approached the battle, he said, "I must leave thee, to join my kindred in the fight. Stay safe. Do not hesitate to kill, sweet Helga, if thy enemy approaches."_

_He called his steed, and rode to the battle. Gryffindor was the first to see him. He had never been so happy to see someone in his life. Slytherin rode to Gryffindor's side. "They took Helga!" Godric shouted._

"_Yes, and I saved her. You should have kept her safe!" he shouted._

"_So, she's alive. Please, tell me!" Godric said._

_Salazar could see his friend was truly concerned. He assured him that she was safe. He said. "Let us finish these dark wizards, so we can commence with our dream." He had an almost wicked grin on his face._

_The two men rode to the battle. It was soon over, and all the Darians and their supporters were dead. The founders lost many supporters as well. Later that night, in a tent, Salazar entered to find Helga sleeping on a bed. She was still weak, and was attended by the witch Rowena. He said, "You are Helga's new best friend, I gather."_

"_And you claim you are her true love, I see," the dark haired witch said in return._

"_Will she be all right?" he asked, taking Helga's hand in his. _

"_She will live, thank goodness," Rowena said. She added, "She mourned you for many weeks. You were a coward to leave her."_

"_I see you are outspoken," Salazar said._

"_When it concerns the people I love, I am," Rowena said._

"_I am grateful so many people love her, as I do," he said, kneeling next to her bed._

_Rowena said, "I make you a vow, right now, dear sir." He turned to look at her. "Never again hurt her, or face my wrath. I will personally see that she is always protected. Her sweet nature will not protect her, so she needs the protection of others. If I die trying, I die, but I will always watch over her and her heirs."_

_Salazar stood, carefully regarding this dark haired beauty. He smiled and said, "You threaten me, madam?"_

"_That I do," she remarked._

"_I shall remember that, but know this, I would die before I ever hurt her again," he proclaimed. Just then, Godric entered the tent._

"_How is Helga?" he asked._

_Rowena came and took his hand. She said, "I only wish I had her healing ability, but I do believe she will be fine."_

"_You are needed by the others, my dear Ravenclaw. I am afraid you must act as nursemaid until morning," Godric said._

_Rowena smiled and kissed his cheek. She left the tent. Salazar looked at her retreating figure and said, "Is she yours?"_

_Godric laughed and said, "Believe me, dear friend, she belongs to know one."_

"_She threatened me, you know," Salazar said._

"_I am sure she did. You would do good to heed her warnings. She is perhaps the wisest witche I have ever encountered in my life," Godric said. He sat on the bed beside Helga and took her free hand, while Salazar continued to stroke the other. Godric said, "She wanted to die when you left. Please, don't leave her again."_

"_I am not good for her, you said that yourself," Salazar said._

_Godric said, "I knew you were outside the tent that night, and that is why I said those things. I wanted you to leave her alone, but I did not want you to leave completely. Now, I must say, she is too much in love. Her love for you is embedded in her soul."_

_At the mention of the word 'soul', Salazar stood. He went to the opening of the tent. He was thinking about what he did. He did not regret it, for he thought she was dying. However, she was no longer on death's door, so now; he did not know what he should do. He still would like her to create a Horcrux, to be assured that neither would ever truly die, but somehow, he knew she would never do that. He must think of another way. _

_Godric could see that his friend was deep in thought. He joined him at the opening of the tent. He said, "Tell me what is troubling you, friend."_

_Salazar turned and said, "If I tell you, you would no longer be my friend."_

"_I do not doubt your words, but let me come to my own judgment. Tell me your secrets," Godric urged. Salazar looked back at Helga, and then back to Godric. He told Godric everything. He told about receiving her owl, about coming to the battle, seeing her being taken to the cave, finding her and thinking she was close to death. He told Godric about the cup. He told him he embossed their symbols on the golden chalice, for he wanted to use the cup as a binding chalice, when they wed. He told Godric what he used it for, instead._

_Godric was outraged. He took Salazar's shirt in his hand, and brought his friend's face close to his. "You must never mess with such dark magic. It is evil. It will amount to no good. You have to know, she will never agree to make a Horcrux. It is not in her to do dark magic."_

"_I thought she lay dying. I was going to create a Horcrux for her," Salazar said, "With the death of the man who kidnapped her."_

"_Is that even possible?" Godric asked._

"_I did not know, nor did I care. I had to do whatever I could to assure we had a future, and she did not die," Slytherin remarked._

"_You will not ever tell her what you did, for if you do, she might leave us, to protect you from yourself. I would not survive losing another friend," Godric said to Slytherin. He put his hand on his friends shoulder and said, "I hope you did not damn your soul. Promise me, no more dark magic."_

_He did not want to do any more dark magic, but he could not make that promise. He would do whatever he had to do, to ensure Helga created a Horcrux as well. He merely put his hand on Godric's back, and patted it twice. Let his friend think whatever he wanted to think. Convinced, Godric left to help heal the injured. Salazar remained by the tent flap, and stared off in the night. He was contemplating his next move._

_Helga remained in her bed, wide-awake, shocked at all she had just heard._

Nick returns to Shell Cottage:

Nick returned to the cottage early the next morning. He did not know whether to inform Don what he saw or not. Just the fact that he saw what he did, made him believe that Salazar was certainly still possessing Paul, hence, the coma. This was good and bad news. It meant that Hermione and Draco were safe. They could probably go back to Hogwarts. It also meant that his brother was not safe.

He decided to inform Don of what he saw. He entered the cottage, and Don was sitting at the table, eating breakfast.

"Where were you all night?" Don asked with an accusatory tone.

"I was at our brother's sickbed all night, if that's all right with you," he said, snidely. "Where are Hermione and Draco?"

"Draco is in the shower, and I believe Hermione is having a sleep in. She had another nightmare last night. Well, the same, but she finally remembered the last piece of her dream," Don declared.

Nick sat beside his brother and said, "What?"

"She claims it was Salazar who killed Helga. Well, she did not see him kill her. She saw him lift her from the underground spring, and then cry over her body. I don't know if this helps us at all, though," Don stated.

"I think that is a false vision. We know how Helga died," Nick reasoned. He did not know what the dream meant.

He told his brother the vision he saw of the four founders when he touched Paul. Don said, "Then your vision just ended?"

"Yes, so I still don't know if we are any closer to knowing the truth, but I do feel that Hermione and Draco will be safe to go back to Hogwarts. I think Slytherin's spirit cannot leave Paul now. I think Paul's body is shutting itself down, to protect Hermione, and to make sure Slytherin cannot leave it. It's just a feeling I have, but you know my feelings are usually right," Nick said.

Hermione was in the doorway, listening, and she entered, still in her nightgown. She said what was on the tip of Don's tongue, "Does that mean that Paul might die?"

"I'm afraid that is indeed what it means," Nick said solemnly.

"I won't let another one of your brothers die for me!" she said frantically.

"Hermione, it's what we are meant to do," Don said.

Before she could protest, Nick said, "NO! I agree with Hermione! I won't lose another brother!"

Hermione said, "Maybe I should go visit Paul, and try to reach out to Slytherin. Let him know that I am there. Maybe Helga will reappear, and whatever they need to tell each other, will come out and this can end."

Don stood and said, "For god's sakes, Hermione! It is not that simple. You cannot just go in his room, take Paul's hand, say, hey Slytherin, Hermione here; you want to talk to Helga! What happens next? Do they have a happy reunion, talk a little bit, then they ride off in the sunset, and we all live happily ever after! It does not work like that! I thought you were a smart girl! Go get packed, I guess I am taking you both back to Hogwarts!"

Hermione had never seen this side of Don. He had never shown this much anger. She turned from the room and ran upstairs, crying. She tried to pass Draco as he was heading down the hall, and he caught her arm. "What's going on, Hermione?'

She wiped her eyes and said, "I guess we are going back to Hogwarts."

"So why does this make you cry?" he asked.

"Don made me cry," she said, looking at the floor. Draco laughed. She said, "It's not funny. He was just a brute to me."

"Don Boot? We are talking about Don Boot? He was a brute? I will believe that when I believe Harry Potter is my best friend," Draco said.

"Fine, don't believe me. Don't take my side," she said, entering the bathroom. She tried to shut the door on him. He put his foot in the doorframe. "Tell me what happened, Hermione."

She told him about the conversation Nick and Don had. She told him her suggestion. He said, "I agree with Don, you are being stupid."

She hit him hard on the chest, and he winced. "Don't call me stupid!" she shouted.

"Well, stop acting stupid, and I won't have to call you stupid," he said back.

She hit him again.

"What was that one for?"

"I just felt like it," she said.

Don approached the pair and said, "Did Hermione tell you that she was eavesdropping?"

Draco said, "If we didn't eavesdrop on the conversations you had with your brothers, we would never know anything."

"Point taken," he said to Draco. He looked at Hermione and said, "I apologize to you. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"She deserved it, I'm sure," Draco said. Hermione hit his arm with her fist. "Damn, Granger, stop hitting me!" He rubbed his arm.

"I am going to visit Paul. Nick is going to see his girlfriend. I am very convinced you two will be safe here. When I get back it will be later this evening, for I have some other things to see to, as well. If I feel convinced, after seeing Paul and talking to my mother, that Nick's assumptions are correct, I will take you back to Hogwarts tonight, okay?" Don said.

Hermione took Draco's hand and said, "I want to go back to Hogwarts more than anything."

"Then let's hope Nick's theories are right," Don said. He looked glum as he walked down the hall.

Draco turned to Hermione and said, "Give me a break. He is doing all of this, expecting no personal gain. He has lost one brother, and may lose another. I know I've been a jerk to him, myself, so I think we both should lighten up."

Hermione knew he was right. She hated when he was right. She always had and always would. He knew that. He knew that was why she had yet to respond. He said, "You know I'm right, but you just don't want to admit it, do you?"

She glared at him and said, "You know nothing, Malfoy!" She pushed him out of the bathroom and slammed the door. He laughed outside in the hallway.

"I'm right!" he shouted. He went downstairs.

After her shower, she walked downstairs. She said, "Draco, it's freezing in here, can you put more wood on the fire?"

"There isn't more wood inside. I would have to go out back to the wood pile, and we can't leave," and as if to demonstrate, he tried to open the back door. To his astonishment, the door opened. Her eyes widened to his and he said, "What the hell?"

He started to walk outside and she stopped him. She said, "Draco, don't leave, we should stay in the house."

"I'll just get the wood," he amended.

She felt uneasy. She could not believe Don Boot would be so careful about everything, and then leave the door unlocked. Draco walked to the side of the house, and grabbed several large pieces of wood. She walked out, rubbing her hands up and down her arms to fend off the cold November wind. She said, "It looks like it's going to snow."

He said, "Get back in the house, Hermione."

She walked up to him, relieving him of two pieces of wood. She said, "With my help, we will only need one trip. Put that last piece in my arms, and then get some more yourself."

He looked around for some reason, feeling slightly afraid. He put the last piece of wood in her arms, and bent down to pick up some more. He stood back up, to see a shocked expression on Hermione's face. She dropped the wood from her hands and pointed over his shoulder. He turned and saw why she was so shocked.

Is that wolf familiar?

Behind Draco was a wolf with three brown paws and one white. It appeared to be Nick Boot, except it was bearing its teeth, and growling. Its posture was low, and the hair stood up on its back.

"Hermione, get inside!" Draco said frantically.

"Isn't that Nick?" she asked, holding onto his sleeve.

"I don't think so," even though he did. "Hermione, get in the house, now!"

Hermione started backing toward the door, with Draco in front of her. The wolf came closer, still growling. Draco threw a piece of wood at it. It did not even back away.

The wolf rounded on them and blocked their way to the house. Draco threw his last piece of wood at it, but missed again. He put Hermione behind him and starting walking backwards, toward the middle of the back garden. The wolf followed, stalking them.

He took out his wand. "Do you have your wand, Hermione?" Draco asked.

"No."

"Don't lose contact with me," he said, "I will disapparate us away."

"Don said he put up anti-apparation charms so you and I couldn't apparate or disapparate in the confines of the yard," Hermione reminded him.

"Start toward the stone wall, and as soon as we climb over, we will disapparate," he said, still backing them across the garden.

The wolf growled again.

"Why would Nick do this?" Hermione asked.

"It might not be Nick in there," Draco concluded.

The wolf started circling them. They had no choice but to circle around as well. Draco still had his wand pointed. He said, "I have to stun it."

"Don't hurt him," Hermione said, still holding onto Draco's sleeve. "Even if Salazar's spirit is in there, it's still Nick's body.

"We have no choice," Draco said. He pointed his wand to stun the wolf, when it struck. The wolf snarled, jumped and clamped its steely jaws on Draco's wand hand. He dropped his wand, yelling the whole time.

"DRACO!!" Hermione screamed

The wolf had Draco on the ground. They were rolling around, with Draco's arm still in the wolf's jaws. Draco yelled, "Get my wand!"

Hermione tried to grab the wand, but Draco and the wolf were too close to it. She finally was able to reach down and grab it. She pointed Draco's wand directly at the wolf. The wolf suddenly left Draco, who by this time was losing large amounts of blood by the minute. The wolf started to stalk Hermione. She continued to step backwards, as the wolf stepped forward. Draco was shouting at her from the ground, "Kill him!"

She knew she could not kill the wolf. Even if the wolf was possessed by something evil, in the end, it was still Nick Boot. She tried to stun the wolf, but it jumped to pounce on her. She tripped over backwards, and shielded her face with her arms.

At that exact moment, a large brown wolf jumped out of nowhere and tackled the smaller wolf. The two wolves continued to fight, biting at each other, growling and howling. Hermione ran over to Draco, who was bleeding from bites to his arm, chest, shoulder and upper thigh.

Hermione looked back over to the two wolves. The larger one was winning the fight. The littler one finally ran off, jumping the stone wall. The large wolf turned into Don Boot. He ran over to the pair, breathing hard, unable to speak.

Hermione said, "We have to get Draco to the hospital!"

Don pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket. He told Hermione, "Memorize this address. I am the only secret keeper. I will help you get Draco to the wall and then you need to disapparate to that address. I will come when I can."

"Was that Nick?" Hermione asked.

"Yes and no. I got to the hospital, and Paul was awake. My mother was there, and she said that Salazar was no longer in Paul. This made me wonder; perhaps human contact is needed for the transference of his spirit from one person to another. I think there has to be a connection," Don said, out of breath, "Now, please, take Draco to this house. You will find healing potions there. I will come when I can. I have to find my brother." He picked Draco up from the ground. He helped Hermione take him over to the wall. He said, "You can manage from here." He ran off toward the woods, turning to a wolf before he jumped the wall.

"Draco, I'm going to try to heal you first!" Hermione said.

"No, help me over the wall. We have to leave this place, now," Draco said.

"How can we trust Don?" Hermione asked, "We trusted Paul and Nick, and look what happened!"

"Don protected us from his own brothers, twice now. I think we can trust him. Help me up," Draco said. Hermione removed her jumper. He said, "It's freezing out here, leave it on," but she was already wrapping his arm with the sweater. She helped him over the waist high wall, and then hoisted herself up, and climbed over as well. She took his hand and disapparated them to the address Don gave them.


	16. Part XVI

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XVI: December:**

A Little House in the Woods:

The little house was cold and dark. It was also incredibly lonely. Though they had each other, the past week had been lonely for Draco and Hermione. Especially Hermione.

When they first arrived, Hermione helped Draco to the bed in the one bedroom house. She placed him on the bed and he was bleeding and in a great deal of pain. She still had his wand in her hand, as she roamed around the little log house. There was one bedroom, one bath, and a larger room, which served as kitchen, dining and living room. She ran to the little bathroom and riffled through the medicine cabinet. She found it well stocked, as Don had said. Hermione grabbed potions, elixirs, and bandages and went back to Draco.

He was on top of the bedcovers, shivering. There was a large fireplace in the living room, which opened to both rooms. First, she wanted to start a fire. She deposited the first aid supplies on a chair and opened the floo. She put wood and kindling in place, and she kneeled on the hearth. She started the fire with Draco's wand. With that taken care of, she turned her attention back to her fiancé.

She put her hand on his forehead. He had a fever. She stripped him of his clothing, and pulled back the covers. She cleaned the wounds, wrapped some of them in bandages, and the ones that looked like they needed stitches, she said a healing spell she knew, although it was rudimentary at best. She gave him some pain medicine, and covered him up with the blankets and quilts. All of this occurred without a single word passing between them.

She sat down in a little uncomfortable wooden chair that sat in the corner by the bed, and watched and waited, all night long, and into the next day. Draco dosed off and on, and occasionally moaned in pain. Twice she went to him with a cold compress and dabbed his brow. The third time, she went to re-wet the compress, and as she returned to the room, she noticed that he still had a fever. He was sweating, but shivering. She was afraid that meant he had an infection. She took the bandage off his worse wound, the one on his right forearm. It was red and had a strange smell. She went back to the medicine cabinet. She saw nothing that would help him.

She went back to his bed, leaned down, and kissed his forehead. With her hand on his cheek, she said, "Draco, I need to get you some antibiotics. I am going to go to my parent's office, and see if they have any there. I will be right back, I promise."

He grabbed her hand and spoke for the first time since they arrived, "Don't leave, for it's not safe. Please, stay with me."

"I have to go, but I will be back. Nothing would keep me from coming back," she said. Before he could argue more, she disapparated on the spot.

She was in her parent's office. She did not even know what day it was, or the time. They did not appear to be there, so perhaps it was a weekend. She unlocked a room where they kept the narcotics and other medicines. She looked at bottle after bottle. Finally, she found some antibiotics, as well as some narcotic pain medicine. She decided to make it look like there had been a robbery; for she knew that her parents kept close tabs on their medicine, and would realize some were missing. She was so tempted to leave them a note. She missed them so much. She concluded that would be unwise, so instead she broke the lock to the front door, and set off the alarm. The police would arrive soon. With regret, she left the office and returned to Draco.

She gave him some antibiotics and more pain medicine. She crawled under the covers, to lie beside him. He was finally sleeping. She stroked his forehead. He still felt warm. He turned to her and said, "I am so cold."

She took off her pants and shirt. She threw them on the floor next to her ruined, blood stained, jumper, and his clothing. She left on her underwear and socks, and put her warm body next to his. He was stripped down to his boxers. She rubbed his arms and chest with her hands, as she draped one leg across his. "Is this better?"

"No offense, but I feel like hell, so I'm not in the mood," he joked. She smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Fine, but when your fever breaks, I plan on ravishing you, okay?" she said back.

He was shivering so much that his teeth were actually chattering. She continued rubbing her hands up and down his torso and arms. Her body heat was starting to warm him. He drifted off to sleep. Soon, she did, too.

She did not know what caused her to wake up; she only knew that she sprang up in bed, disoriented to her surroundings. She glanced around the room, and saw Don Boot sitting in the wooden chair, in the corner. He appeared to be asleep. She crawled out of bed, and slipped on her clothing and went to the corner. She leaned down and put her hand on his arm.

"Don, wake up," she said softly.

His eyes opened slowly, and focused on her face. "Hi, Hermione. How's Draco?"

"He had a fever. Don't be angry, but I went to my parent's dental practice to obtain some Muggle medicine for him. He had a fever, and was in a great deal of pain."

"That's fine, just don't leave again. I left you some food and provisions in the other room," he said, standing. Hermione did not think she had ever seen a man look wearier than he looked at that moment.

She put her hand on his chest and said, "How long will we be here?"

"I don't know," he said, running his hand through his hair.

"How is Nick?" Hermione asked.

"He's beating himself up over this. He had no idea that Salazar left Paul and entered him. He's questioning his second sight ability, for he felt if anyone should have known such a thing, it should have been him," Don said.

"Yes, but how is he, is Slytherin still with him?" she asked.

He took her arm and led her to the other room, he said, "Hermione, I know what you are thinking. You are afraid he might be back in Draco, aren't you?"

"You said you thought physical contact with either a person or an object that contained his spirit was needed. Well, Nick had contact with Draco. He bit him," Hermione reasoned.

"No, Draco's fine. My mother said that my theory was incorrect. It does not work that way. She does think that Nick is a very strong conduit for such things, and that is why he left Paul and entered him, but she said that he could just have vanished from Nick without another conduit. She senses no evilness in him at this time," Don explained. "My mother did say that distance is important. The spirit world is on a different plane than we are, but physical closeness is essential, so you both are fine."

"Where are we?" she asked, wondering if they were far enough away.

"In Wales. This is my little get a way place. Sometimes I come here for solitude. There are immense woods, so when I want to become a wolf, there are plenty of trees and hills for me to roam. I promise, you are safe." He put his hand on her arm. Without warning, he pulled her in his grasp and hugged her tight. He held her for many long moments, as a friend or a brother would hold a loved one. With his chin resting on her head, he said, "My mother is going to the excavation site. She wants to find the underlying cause of things. When we find something out, I will let you know. She also wants to talk to you and Draco, when he feels better."

He let her go, but kept one of her hands. He walked with her to the corner of the room that contained the small kitchenette. He said, "There's plenty of food in the cupboards. I will return the day after tomorrow, I promise."

"What do they think at Hogwarts, with all of us gone?" she asked.

"The Headmistress knows everything that is happening, so your job is safe, if that has you worried." He let go of her hand.

She said, "What day is it?"

He laughed and said, "November 24, and it's a Saturday. I'll see you Monday, the 26th." He disapparated away.

That was exactly a week ago. She was marking the days off on a small piece of parchment she found. It was now December 1st, and Don did not fulfill his promise, and she very worried.

Draco was still recuperating. Today he was sitting on the sofa, in front of the fireplace. He stood up and stoked the fire. Each day, they barely talked to each other. They read, for there were many books, they ate, slept, and co-existed, but really besides greeting each other in the morning, saying goodnight before bed, and words here and there throughout the day, they rarely spoke; no long conversations, no revealing of worries or fears, no plans of what they should do if Don never returned. It was as if they were both in denial of the inevitable. Don might not return. Something might have happened to him and they might be on their own. Decisions had to be made soon.

Hermione's decision:

Hermione was searching through the cabinets for something to fix for lunch. She was tired of canned soups and vegetables, but that was all there was. She sighed and came to sit beside Draco. She put her head on his shoulder.

He continued to read his book, but put his arm around her shoulder. She sighed again. "What?" he asked.

"I'm hungry," she said.

"Fix your self some food," he answered plainly. She sighed for the third time. He closed his book and put it on the end table. "What's really wrong?"

"Everyone has forgotten about us. We have been abandoned," she wailed.

He laughed, even though he did not find it funny. He said, "They haven't forgotten."

"We should leave this place," she said.

"No, we need to stay," he decided.

"I don't want to be here for Christmas, Draco Malfoy," she said sternly, moving to the far end of the couch, and crossing her arms and legs.

"Stop pouting. And we won't be here for Christmas," he reasoned, picking his book back up so he could continue to read.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Shut up so I can read," was his answer.

She stood up and shouted, "You did not just tell me to shut up!"

Without looking up from his book, he said, "Actually, I think I did."

She walked over and grabbed his book and held it over the fire. "Apologize!" she said.

He stood up and said, "Burn the bloody thing. I have read it before. There are plenty of other books here," and for emphasis, he walked over to the shelf and grabbed another book.

"I HATE BOOKS!" she yelled, throwing the book she had in her hand right at him. It narrowly missed him.

"YOU hate books? YOU?" he said, mocking her. He really did laugh and sat at the table with the new book.

He was not going to entertain her, or let her pick a fight. He would not give in to her childish games. She stood there, staring at him. He finally looked at her and said once again, "WHAT?"

"Draco, let's make love."

He frowned. Oh, she was good; yes, he would give her that. He wondered what she would do if he said no. He would test the waters, and find out first hand. "No," he said. He grinned to himself and opened his book.

She yelled in frustration and stomped her foot. She walked over to the bedroom and slammed the door. He waited a total of perhaps 30 seconds and he joined her. He opened the door slowly and walked in with his hands in front of his body. "Truce, all right, Granger. I am unarmed, but still slightly dangerous. May I come in?"

"I don't care," she said.

He sat beside her on the bed. He said, "Is it really so bad being here with me? I mean, I know it has been boring, what with me recovering, but I feel better now, and we can have some fun. Also, you've not had one nightmare since we've arrived here, isn't that worth something?"

She thought for a moment and agreed, "Yes, I'm thankful for that."

He gathered her in his arms and put her on his lap. She turned to face him. He said, "This is what I need. You, here in my arms, safe from harm. This makes me happy."

"But it's not enough," she replied.

"Speak for your self," he said, kissing her cheek. He said, "We could make love now, if you still want to."

"No, I'm not in the mood any longer," she said, standing from his lap. Then she turned and said, "But, if you promise me we can go on a walk around the woods, then I might be persuaded later.

"Why you common hussy. Selling yourself for favours," he said standing and joining her. "We really can't leave the house."

"I'm going on a walk!" she declared. Don had an assortment of coats, boots, hats, gloves and other clothing at the house. She started to bundle up with extra jumpers and socks. She pulled on a pair of boots. She was surprised that Draco had not tried to stop her yet. She put a scarf around her neck. She put a heavy coat on her back and a hat on her head. She picked up a pair of gloves off the top of the dresser, turned back to a fuming Draco and said, "See you after my walk."

She turned to leave and felt something jabbing her back. Even through all the layers, she could tell it was his wand. She turned around and said, "Put your wand down, Draco. What are you going to do, stun me?" She took four more steps toward the outer room. Once there, she headed toward the front door. He was in front of the door in a flash. He pointed his wand at her face.

"Take off all your clothes, and no one gets hurt," he leered.

Her eyes grew wide and she said, "All of them?"

"Yes, all of them."

"Draco, get out of my way, I'm going for a walk," and she tried to push past him. He threw his wand on the floor and picked her right up from where she stood. He tried to put her on the couch, but she was hitting and kicking and screaming. He dropped her before they reached the couch. He doubled over in pain.

"Oh," he cried out, as he fell on the floor, on his knees. She walked up to him and put her hand on his back.

"What happened? Is it your injuries? Are you in pain?" she asked, removing her gloves and the hat from her head.

"Oh," is all he said again. He struggled to stand and moved to the couch. She threw the coat on the floor and joined him. She moved his shirtsleeve up. The bite mark on his arm looked to be healing fine.

She said, "This wound is fine. Is it the one on your shoulder?" He did not answer. He grimaced in more pain. She removed his jumper and t-shirt. She looked at his shoulder. While it was red, and would certainly scar, it looked fine as well. She said, "Draco, tell me what's wrong!"

He lay on this side, on the couch and moaned. She was concerned. She said, "Help me pull down your pants, so I can look at the wound on your thigh."

He said, "Yes, it's my leg. It is killing me. There's a burning pain," and to emphasis, he moaned once more. She removed his shoes and then she unbuttoned his pants and slipped them down his hips. She pulled them completely off him, and put her hand on his right thigh.

She asked, "Where does it hurt? It doesn't appear to be red or inflamed."

He pointed at his upper thigh. She put her hand on his thigh and inquired, "Here?"

He nodded. She said, "Describe the pain." She had her small hand over his wound, rubbing it back and forth.

He said, "Well, the pain is slowly spreading."

"Where?" she asked, looking up from her massaging.

He said, "For some reason, my hip. It's like a muscle cramp."

She massaged his hip on top of his boxers. She stood, leaning over him. She said, "Does this help?"

He did not know how much longer he could keep us the hoax. She was so smart, but sometimes, she was so smart that she lacked common sense. Muscle ache, indeed. He thought he might as well go all out, so he said, "The pain is in my side. What's going on, Hermione?"

She was biting her bottom lip in the way she does when she was concerned, worried, or thinking especially hard. He was starting to feel bad for deceiving her. He turned to left side, and she rubbed his right side, and his back. She said, "I'm worried. I don't know what is going on; cab a blood clot travel this way?" She suddenly stood away from him and said, "That's it, Draco. I have to go for help!" She bent down to pick up the coat and she started to put it back on, when he stood up suddenly, forgetting that he was almost completely naked.

He put his arms out and said, "It's a miracle, Granger! You've healed me!"

She was so angry she only saw red. She picked up the closest item she could, which was only her hat and threw it at him. He caught it in his hand and came over and put it on her head, over her eyes. She wanted to hit him with something harder, but she stood there, with a laughing Draco, and a hat over her eyes. He bent down and kissed her lips, which were the only part of her face that was exposed. He then pulled the hat off her head and threw it over his shoulder. He said, "I am standing here in only my skivvies, Granger. Let's go to the bedroom and make love."

Draco's Decision:

When she remained where she was, he picked her up, threw her over his shoulder, and carried her to the bedroom. He threw her on the bed. Hermione sat up and tried to get off the bed, but he put his hand on her head and pushed her back down. She tried once more and he pushed her again. She tried a third time, with a determined look on her pretty face and that time he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back on the bed.

"Draco, you are so dead!" she said.

"You love me too much to kill me," he said. He reached down and removed one of the large jumpers from her. Her hair flew all around her head from the static. She could not help but smile when he laughed. He removed the second sweater. He said, "How many bloody sweaters did you put on?" He removed the third and the last, and he pulled her to stand beside him. He put his arms around her and said, "I love you, little one, and no one will ever hurt you or take you from me." He bent his head and placed his lips to hers. He moved his lips over top of hers, kissing and then pulling back. He finally opened her mouth, and twirled her tongue with his.

Her hands went up to the back of his neck, and she stretched her body against his, standing on her tiptoes. He removed the t-shirt she wore, and to his pleasant surprise, she did not have on a bra. He looked at her bare breasts, and then her face, and as if reading his mind she said, "Don didn't have any bras I could borrow, and mine is drying in the bathroom."

He did not need an explanation, as he lifted her to the bed and put her on her back. He climbed up her body, and he licked her stomach. He kissed her ribs, and the underside of each breast. He put his left hand on her entire right breast, as he put her left breast in his mouth. He sucked and licked and she made a throaty sound.

He removed his mouth and unzipped her pants. He pulled them down slowly. They stopped at her shoes. "Damn, Granger, didn't your mother ever tell you not to lie on a bed with your shoes? Take your shoes off the bed," he said, with fake disdain. He helped her take her shoes and socks off and finished removing her pants. He kissed the bottom of her foot, and then her ankle. He spread her legs and sat between them. He kissed her calf, then her knee. He took his index finger and slowly drew little circles on her thigh. He seemed content just to watch her resolve melt away.

He lay back down on his stomach, resting his head on her stomach. He kissed it again, as his fingertips tweaked her nipples. He said, "Love me forever."

"I do," she returned. He climbed up the rest of her body and removed his shorts. He kissed her mouth again, this time relentlessly. He kissed her shoulder, and then bit down on her neck. He rested his leg between hers, and could feel the wet heat from her on his skin. He put his hand down her stomach and as he did, she was reaching down to remove her knickers. His fingertips traced the outer layers of her cleft, teasing her, trying to make their love making linger. She reached down to him and he moved to lie on his side. She pushed him to his back and her small hands were on his shoulders and chest. She came to rest on him to kiss his mouth. She kissed down his chest, playing with his nipples. She licked and kissed his nipples, flicking them with her tongue. She looked up at him and met his smile.

She lingered for long moments on his neck. She put her nose in the crook of his neck and took a deep breath, inhaling his scent. She loved how he smelled, how he tasted, and how he gave her such pleasure.

Her hand went to his hardness, and she stroked him up and down, eliciting small moans from him. They mimicked his fake moans of pain from earlier only these moans were genuine. She put both hands on him, one on top, and one underneath. She circled her thumb over his tip. She bent her head to him, and placed small hesitant kisses around his base. He lifted his head from the pillow to watch her, to see if she was really about to do what he hoped. She was. She put him in her mouth. It was apparent she was not sure what she was doing, since she had not done this before, but it was still wonderful. She sucked hard, and took as much of him in her mouth as she could. His hips started to rise off the bed. After only a few moments, he took her head and lifted it from him and said, "Best stop, of it will be over too soon."

He was so close to the edge that he actually had to take an instant to recover. She was on her side, just staring at him. Finally composed, he pushed her shoulder back toward the mattress, and he climbed down her body, licking and kissing all the way. He reached his goal, and parted her legs as far as he could. He licked her up and down, while one hand held her right leg, and his other hand laid flat against her lower abdomen. He entered her with his tongue, and moved it back and forth, in and out. She shut her eyes and both hands went over her head, as she started her climb her assent.

He kept her legs apart, and came back on top of her, his body between her legs. He entered her slowly, and then pulled out. He was teasing her. He did it once more, in and then completely out. She opened her eyes, biting her bottom lip. He looked in her eyes and entered her fully again. He withdrew just as fast.

"Stop that," she said. He thought that was funny.

He rolled on his back, and told her, "If you want to be the boss, and then climb on,"

She did. She straddled him and put her core right at his center, and slowly enveloped him fully, to the hilt. Her knees bent at his hips, she raised herself once more to come down hard. She would repeat this several times, up and down. He put his hands on her hips and said, "Stay put."

"Doesn't feel nice to be teased, does it?" she managed to say. He actually pushed her off him, none to lightly. Before she could be shocked, he entered her again, and stroked her several times, up and down, until they both were finally satisfied. He threw the quilt over their bodies, their arms and legs entwined. Finally, she said, "Well, what do we do the rest of the day?"


	17. Part XVII

All Characters Belong to JKR

**Part XVII:**

The Return of Don:

Hermione was taking a shower. It was now December 4th. It was her father's birthday. She always sent him a card, every year. She would not be able to do that this year. As she was taking her shower, she thought she heard voices in the other room. Perhaps Draco was delusional, and was now having conversations with his inner self. She felt pretty pent up and lonely, but not so much that she would talk to herself. She continued bathing, and when she finished she turned off the shower. Now she knew that she clearly heard voices. She put a towel around her frame, but turned the shower back on, to cover any sounds she might make by opening the door. She opened the door a crack and heard Draco talking to Don Boot.

Don said, "If you are sure, then I don't know what to say to convince you. By all means, take as much time here as you can. I just cannot keep coming back and then leaving without you. I cannot stall everyone much longer. My mother really needs to see you both, and even the Headmistress is beginning to wonder why you have not come back. You also have your exams coming up, and I know you cannot be ready for them. You don't want all your hard work to be for not."

"I don't care. Hermione has not had one nightmare since we have been here. I think this is the safest place for us," she heard Draco say.

"You can't put this off forever," said Don, "We have to resolve this sometime. Even though it's the middle of winter, the archeologist were uncovering more and more everyday, and more and more strange things are happening everyday. If we do not find the underlying cause of this soon, they might not only shut down the site, but the whole school, especially now, since there have been two deaths. Think about it, Draco."

Hermione stepped out of the bathroom right at that moment, forgetting that she was only in a towel. "What the bloody hell is going on?" she said to Draco, and then turning to Don she asked, "And where the bloody hell have you been?"

Draco said, "Who should answer first?"

Don said, "Hermione, no offense, but could you put some clothes on? I feel uncomfortable talking to you in only a towel."

"No, I will not put clothes on, for if I leave right now I might miss something important, like why I am still in this hell-hole!" Hermione yelled.

Don said, "Thanks for referring to my house as a hell-hole."

Draco chimed in, "Put your clothes on, Hermione, Don doesn't want to see you dripping wet and practically naked!"

She glared at both men and said, "If I had my wand right now, you both would be frozen until I got back from dressing!"

Don looked at Draco and asked, "You didn't give her wand back to her yet? I brought it last week."

"LAST WEEK!" Hermione shouted, "You were here last week?" As she was shouting, Hermione temporarily let go of her towel, and it fell down to her ankles. Don quickly put his hand over his eyes and Draco laughed his arse off as Hermione squealed in embarrassment and ran to the bedroom.

Draco said, "Well, that's one way to get rid of her."

She quickly dressed and sat on the bed, deciding to stay there until she died.

There was a knock on the door. She did not even say come in. She knew it was Draco, who was probably going to come in and make fun of her. She heard the door open, and she heard footsteps. She looked up and saw Don, and mortified, she said, "Oh, go away!" She put her hands over her face.

He sat beside her and took her hands away from her face. He kept one of her hands in one of his and said, "Hermione, don't feel embarrassed."

"You saw me naked!" she said, humiliated.

Don laughed. She asked, "Was it that funny? I mean, I know it's not the best body in the world, but it's mine!"

He laughed more. He said, "Hermione, I'm going to tell you something that not many people know, but maybe it will make you feel better about the whole situation. I am a homosexual. I love you a lot, but not in that way, and you have a beautiful body, even as a gay man I can appreciate that."

"You're gay?" she asked for clarification.

"Yes," he answered.

"Oh, lord, and to think I used to tease Draco that you were his boyfriend," she said, now laughing.

"Yes, he told me all about that. He's known for a while, and it's not a big deal, so don't worry about anything," he told her.

"I thought you took a date to the Halloween Ball, and it was a female, if I recall," she said to him.

He smiled and said, "I was more concerned with watching you that night than dating. It was a cover. Forgive me for not telling you before. I also want to apologize for not telling you I have been in contact with Draco. It was his idea for you to stay here this long. I really think you need to come back, but he's not so convinced."

"What's going on back at school?" she asked.

"The Ministry has shut down the site. There were two deaths," he said. Draco came and stood in the doorway to listen as well.

"Who died?" Hermione asked, concerned.

"Davina McWhorter and a seventh year Ravenclaw student. They were in the same chamber that Paul was in when he passed out, and the one from your dream," he said.

"Does the Ministry know about what's happened to Draco and me?" she asked.

"Yes, as far as I know, they are aware of everything. That is why we have to figure this out and soon. We cannot let the Ministry stop us from finding out the truth. We need to take you both back, and my mother would like to finally tell you her secret, if you are receptive to hearing it," Don said, with his arm around her. Hermione looked up to Draco.

"Did you already know about all of this?" she asked Draco.

"I just found out about the deaths today, when Don came," Draco said. He came up to the bed, and pulled a box out from underneath. He said, "Here are your wand, your extra clothing, and even some more bras and knickers." He smiled sheepishly.

"You're not forgiven, yet," she told him. "I want to go back to Hogwarts."

"Fine, we can go back, but I have a bad feeling about all of this," Draco said.

Don said, "Listen you two, spend the rest of the day here, and I will come and get you tomorrow morning, bright and early." He stood up and kissed the top of Hermione's head and then walked up to Draco and slapped his face, slightly hard.

"What the hell?" Draco asked.

"That's for lying to Hermione. It is what big brothers do when little brothers are idiots. I've slapped my brothers around so often in their lives, their brains are rattled." He waved goodbye and disapparated.

"Draco, why didn't you tell me Don had been in contact with us?" she asked.

"You already know the answer. I am selfish, and I wanted to keep you all to myself. Furthermore, I wanted to keep you safe, so if that is wrong, I don't care. You should know me by now, I don't apologize for anything," he spouted. He sat beside her and said, "Don told you he was gay?"

"Yes, he also said he's always been in love with you," she lied.

"Everyone is. It's hard being me," was his simple reply.

Back to Hogwarts:

Hermione always loved Hogwarts in winter. Snow lying on the ground. The trees covered with a thin layer of frost and ice. Roaring fires in all the fireplaces. Soon, the entire school would be decorated for Christmas. Massive trees would line the Great Hall. Tinsel, mistletoe, garland and wreaths, would hang in every nook and cranny. Just the thought made Hermione impatient with anticipation. As Don, Draco and Hermione walked the path from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts, and the castle loomed ahead, Hermione could no longer contain her jubilation. She started running toward the gates, not looking back once, and not waiting for the others. Once inside the grounds, she practically ran all the way to the front doors. She was so glad to be back! A student walking by said, "Professor Granger! Are you back?"

"Yes, I'm back!" she said with excitement.

Draco, however, was walking as slowly as he could. He couldn't share her exuberance. He felt uneasy. He felt they were coming back to the unknown. He didn't like that. He saw Hermione run up the stairs, so he decided to go down to his office. He had so much work to make up, especially if he was going to take his exams later that week.

Later, after classes, Hermione met Draco down in the dungeons. She knocked on his door, and then let herself in. She said, "Are you coming to dinner?"

"No, I have too much work to do," he said. He had his final exams to study for, for his potion master's license, and he was very behind. "How was the first day back for you? Did you miss all the snot nosed little heathens?"

"Yes, I did. Do you want some help studying?" she asked, sitting on his desk.

"No," he sighed.

She said, "Don't forget we are meeting Don's mother this weekend."

"How can I forget?" he said, waving to her, "Now, get out of here, you bother me."

"Fine," she said, jumping off his desk. "Will I see you tonight, in my room?"

"Don't take this wrong, but I plan on working all night. I will see you in the morning," Draco proclaimed.

"Do I get a kiss?" she asked.

"Have you done anything to deserve a kiss?" he asked, not looking up from his work.

"I'm more deserving than you will ever know, but fine, don't kiss me," she said as she turned on her heels to leave.

"Come back here," he said. She came up to his chair and he pulled her down to his lap. He placed one hand on her cheek and kissed her lips. He said, "I love you. Please, I know this will sound redundant, and you will probably not heed my warning, but try to stay out of trouble while we are back.

"Do I ever get into trouble?" she joked. He frowned, so she added, "Trouble and I will stay far apart, I promise. Goodnight, my love."

"Goodnight, my little one."

Hermione waved goodbye and headed to the Great Hall for dinner. She passed by Don's classroom, and saw Nick and Paul, sans Don. She ran in the room and threw herself in Paul's arms.

"I'm so glad to see you! Are you feeling better?" she asked him.

He laughed and said, "Yes, I'm better."

Nick looked on, with sadness. He still felt incredible guilt for what happened to Draco. She turned to Nick and took his hand. She said, "And how are you?"

"I guess I'm fine, if you have forgiven me," he said.

"Of course," she replied. "What are you both doing here? I thought the Ministry shut the site down," Hermione said.

"I don't work for the Ministry," Nick reminded her.

"And while I do, there's no law that says I can't visit my brother," Paul said, "We both wanted to be here when you see our mother this weekend. We don't even know what she is going to say to you."

"Do you want to come up to dinner with me?" she asked.

Nick looked at Paul, who suddenly looked away. Nick said, "We have plans tonight, but may we stop by your room later, we have something to tell you."

"Sounds ominous," Hermione responded.

Nick laughed and said, "It's not. We just aren't supposed to talk to you about the whole Salazar/Helga thing, and that's what we want to talk to you about."

"Who said you can't talk to me?" Hermione asked with a frown.

Again, Paul looked away, so Nick was forced to answer. "My brother and your boyfriend. They had a very long conversation with us about it."

"Well, bully for them, but I can talk about whatever I want to whomever I want, so I will see you in my room after dinner," Hermione said with indignation.

"What about Draco?" Paul asked.

"He said he's working all night, so he won't be a concern," Hermione said. She waved goodbye and went to dinner.

After dinner, she waited for the Boots in her room. She paced back and forth, as she waited. How dare Don and Draco conspire against her! She had as much right to find out what in the world was going on as the next person. Maybe more. She felt responsible for the entire thing, so she felt responsible to see that it ended.

Finally, she heard a knock at her door. She answered it and Nick and Paul stood in the hallway. Paul actually looked like he was 'sneaking' in her room. Hermione laughed and Nick said, "He wants to pretend he's on a undercover mission."

Nick and Hermione sat on her sofa, while Paul sat on the hearth of the fireplace. Nick said, "When Salazar 'possessed' me, for lack of a better word; he left a sort of imprint, or some of his memories, in me. While Paul and Draco remember only the dreams that they had, I remember much more. Maybe because of my gift, or because I'm more in tune, I don't know."

"What memories of his do you remember?" she asked.

"I can show you, better than tell you," he told her.

"I don't know Legilimens or Occlumens," Hermione said.

Nick said, "You won't need to. I can still show you. Hold my hand."

Hermione held Nick's hand, as he shut his eyes. She mouthed silently to Paul, "Do I shut my eyes?" He shrugged.

Nick said, "Yes, Hermione shut your eyes."

Paul had trouble suppressing his grin as Hermione shut her eyes.

Another piece of the Puzzle:

_Helga was getting stronger everyday. The founders and their followers had taken up residence in a small castle that was already on the land. They were working every day on their plans for the school. The four founders met one afternoon, in the castle's main room, to discuss their plans._

_Godric, who was overseeing the actual building of the school, came into the meeting as Rowena and Salazar were arguing, as they were apt to do. Helga was sitting quietly at the stone table trying not to interfere with their argument. Godric leaned down to Helga and said, "Why are they arguing?" _

_She said, "Why do they always argue?"_

_Godric sat at the stone table and said, "Friends, lets not argue. We have much to discuss."_

_Rowena said, "We have nothing to discuss, if Salazar has his way and we only admit purebloods to our school."_

"_This school was our idea, long before you came along, madam," Salazar said, "so our preferences take precedent over yours."_

_Helga, who looked unwell, said, "Please, let us not fight among ourselves before our school even opens. Salazar, you know that Godric and I both favour teaching all students with magical ability, regardless of their birth, so this discussion is over."_

"_Then I say we each teach only those we want to teach. I will teach only the purebloods. Those of cunning and intelligence. Those who exhibit certain qualities, such as ambition and power," Salazar said._

_Not to be outdone, Rowena said, "Then I want to teach only the cleverest witches and wizards. Those who value intellect over power, and learning over ambition." She purposely chose attributes that differed from Slytherin, whom she despised._

_Godric said, "I don't think the idea of four houses is a bad one. I think it would be wise, actually. I would choose those of any birth, as long as they are loyal, daring, chivalrous, and most of all, brave of heart."_

_Helga said, "And how do we determine these qualities in a young mind?"_

"_We will enchant my hat here. It will tell us to which house each student belongs," Godric said. "Which students do you wish to teach, sweet Hufflepuff?"_

"_I will teach those that work hard, are just and loyal and all the rest who don't fall into any of the other houses. I will also take those of any birth," she said wearily._

_Ravenclaw said, "I think this is enough for one day. My friend is still mending, and she needs her rest." Godric agreed. They both left the stone table. _

_Salazar walked up to Helga and said, "What troubles do you have, my love? Are thee ill, or just tired?"_

"_I am tired, so tired," she said, adding, "Salazar, how can you claim to love me, but yet be so prejudice against half bloods and Muggle-borns?"_

_He laughed and kneeled by her chair, "My love, you do not know your parentage, but I do. For I know no witch with your ability or beauty could possibly be anything less than a pureblood."_

"_You don't really know that for sure," she said, worried._

"_I do, for I wouldn't love anyone who was less than a pureblood," he stated. This statement shocked her. He said, "There is a way to determine your bloodline. It is an ancient spell, but we could always perform it on you, to be sure."_

_She said, "I don't need such a spell to be performed. Do you?"_

_He said, "Of course not. Let me walk with you to your chamber. We have something of more importance to discuss."_

_They walked to her chamber and he confessed to her what happened in the cave that night. She had been waiting for him to tell her, as she had already overheard. She said, "Why did you do that? That goes against the laws of nature. Its dark magic and its best left alone."_

"_My love, I was afraid of losing you, so I had no choice," he said._

"_So, if I died, your soul would live on, but mine would have still have passed on," she said._

"_No, it wouldn't, for I would have made a Horcrux for you," he said._

"_How?" Helga asked, "From what I understand of that particular magic that would not be possible. A person can only split their own soul, which is blasphemes to even speak of."_

"_I have discovered a way," he proclaimed, "and I still wish to perform the ritual on you, before we marry," he said._

_She was upset, and she said, "NEVER! I could never let you do that, so do not talk of such things, for I shall not marry you if you do."_

_This response angered Salazar. She was still healing from her wounds, so he would not press the matter now, but it would be done, and she would marry him. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, if you are so opposed, we shall not speak of it again." He kissed her lips gently and told her to rest._

_He went to the small antechamber off the main corridor of the castle. He had claimed these underground rooms as his chambers when they first inhabited this castle. This castle once belonged to the Darians, and unknown by the other founders, the youngest brother was once a friend to him, and he told Salazar of a secret underground room, with an underground spring, that was used for certain rituals. It was here that Salazar had finally tested his theory of creating a Horcrux for another. He used one of their followers, to test his theory, who happily gave his soul to help one of the founders. Too bad the wizard had to give his life as well, but Salazar could not let his secret by known._

Nick opened his eyes and Hermione did shortly after. They both stared at each other for long moments.

"Does the memory end there?" Hermione asked. Nick nodded.

"Salazar killed someone just to test a theory?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, he did."

"Do you think that means he did create a Horcrux for Helga?" Hermione asked.

"If he did, I think he did it against her wishes, and possibly against her knowledge. I think that is her unfinished business. I think if you truly released a part of her soul the day you connected the Cylinder with the cup, then her soul had no cognitive memory of being separated from her body, and being preserved as a Horcrux. I think we need to reconnect that part of her soul with her spirit, but I haven't the foggiest idea how to do that," Nick said.

"What is Salazar's unfinished business?" Hermione asked.

"It conjecture only, but I think the answers are in that room. Paul entered the room when he went into his coma. Davina and that student died in the room. I have to get in there somehow, but the Ministry has it closed off, and there's the problem of my big brother," Nick said.

Paul said, "Don and Draco are going away Friday. Draco has some kind of exam to take for his studies, and Don is going with him. They aren't returning until Saturday, which is when Mother and Father are coming."

"How do you know about Draco leaving, when I didn't know?" Hermione asked.

Paul said, "I'm a little bit psychic, too."

Nick rolled his eyes and said, "No, he's a little bit of a liar. Don told us. That would be the perfect opportunity. We could go to the chamber Friday night. Hermione, you can't tell a soul." Nick looked at Paul, who looked at the floor again. Nick said, "We are definitely sneaking off to the site."

"You can't!" Hermione gasped, "Two people died in that chamber! Your brother almost died there, and I saw horrible things there in my dreams as well, and you saw Salazar murder a man there! Please, don't do it," she warned.

Nick explained, "Hermione, I already told you, when Salazar was in me, no matter how brief, he left a sort of imprint. This happened because of my unique gifts. Since then, I have been having visions, and I am beginning to piece some things together, but I have to see something first, something in that chamber. I have to."

"Nick and I will be fine, just promise us you won't tell Don or Draco," Paul said.

"I want to come!" Hermione said excited.

"No!" Nick shouted, and then more calmly he said, "I will not put you at anymore risk. I swore an oath to protect you, and I have already let shoddy judgment cloud that goal. You are staying here." He turned and left the room.

"Hermione, we simply can't let you come," Paul said. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "But that doesn't mean we don't still love you." He winked at her and left as well.

Hermione Granger would not be appeased. She was going with them one way or another._  
_


	18. Part XVIII

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XVIII**:

A Very Ordinary Week:

Each day of that week past in a blur. It was a perfectly ordinary week. Hermione was nervous about what was going to happen on the weekend. She knew Draco was going away on Friday night, and she knew what the Boot brothers had planned. She knew deep down that she should warn Draco, or at least Don about what they had planned. She was also nervously waiting for Saturday. That was the day Mrs. Boot was coming to the school to see her and Draco. She was finally going to tell them her 'vision', or prophecy. Would it be significant? Would Hermione even believe? More important, would it help to solve the mystery that had consumed all their lives?

Hermione was not sure any of it mattered any longer. Her nightmares had stopped. She was not sure why, and she was not particularly grateful. In a way, she was disappointed. She felt as if she was at a crossroad, unable to make a choice which way to go, and that the decision of which road to take was no longer her choice to make. That irked her the most. The choice was no longer hers. She felt more out of control, without the dreams, than she felt when she was having them.

She left her classroom, after her classes ended for the day, and went to find Draco to tell him goodbye. He was to leave promptly after classes, so she did not have much time. She walked along the corridor, heading toward the stairs, figuring he was in his office in the dungeons. She walked with her head tucked into her chest, her eyes downcast, and her fingers skimming the walls absentmindedly. She ran directly into something. She looked up quickly, and saw it was Draco.

Without warning, she threw her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes, and kissed his mouth. After her brief kiss, for he had not kissed back, shocked as he was, so it was her kiss, she placed her cheek next to his chest, throwing her arms around his waist. No words were spoken. However, he knew something was wrong.

"Where were you headed, distracted as you are?" Draco asked her.

Still hugging him she said, "To find you, and to tell you goodbye."

"That's where I was headed as well," he proclaimed.

She looked up and said, "You were walking to find yourself and tell yourself goodbye?" She grinned, but he could tell it was false.

"Yes, that's it exactly," he said. He put his hand under her chin and asked, "Whatever is wrong?"

"Nothing, I'll just miss you," she lied. She wanted to tell him about what Nick and Paul had planned so badly that she was close to bursting.

"I'll be gone overnight, and part of Saturday morning, I am sure you will survive," Draco said. He leaned against the wall and said, "Is that really what has you looking so glum? You forget I know you so well. What is it, Hermione? Do not make me go on a fishing expedition. I do not have time to draw it out of you, for I have to leave in a couple minutes. Just tell me."

She looked up at him and said, "No, really, that's all it is. I will just miss you." She hugged him again. Not convinced in the slightest, he had no time to prod longer, for Don was heading down the corridor, toward them.

"Are you ready to leave?" Don asked. He came up and put his hand on Hermione's back, but directed his question to Draco.

"Yes, I'm ready," he said. He bent down and gave Hermione another kiss.

Don hugged her and said, "Watch out for my brothers while we are gone."

They turned to leave, when she felt an invisible force pulling her toward them, telling her to reveal everything she knew. What should she do? She followed her instinct, and ran after them. She caught Don's arm, turning him around. She asked, "Don, why are you going with Draco?"

"I told him I would go, for moral support. Why, would you rather go?" he asked.

"Are you sure you need to go?" she asked.

Draco said, "For the love of all that is holy and evil, just tell us what in the hell has you so preoccupied. What is troubling you?"

"It's nothing, never mind. Good luck on your exams," and she turned on the spot and ran down the hallway, determined to stop the men anyway she could.

She ran up to Don's quarters. She hoped they would be there. Surely, they had not already left for the site.

She knocked on the door. There was no answer. She knocked once more, and still, there was no answer. Ready to give up, she turned to leave. The door flew opened as she was almost to her room. She turned to see who opened the door, and she saw Nick.

She ran back to the room and said, "I thought you had already left for the site."

Nick stepped out in the hallway, and closed the door. "I figured it was you, that's why I didn't answer right away. I am glad you didn't tell Don and Draco what we have planned for this evening. Paul thought you would, but I knew you wouldn't."

"Your second sight?" she inquired.

"No, my faith in you, and my knowledge that you want to get to the bottom of this as much as I do," he said.

"Nick, why don't you wait? I have an uneasy feeling," she pleaded.

"The thing is, Hermione," Nick said, "I don't. I think everything will turn out fine."

"At least tell me for what you are searching," she pleaded again.

"Fine," he said. He took her sleeve and led her to her room.

She said, "Can't we talk in Don's room?"

"No, for I don't want Paul to hear," Nick explained.

"Why don't you want Paul to hear?" Hermione asked, confused.

Nick looked toward Don's door and said, "Please, I'll explain in your room."

She opened her door and crossed over to her little wooden table. Nick sat opposite her. She found herself gripping the edge of the tabletop in anticipation of what he was about to tell her.

"When Salazar possessed me, I saw a glimpse of a secret room, or a dark passage really, that led off that underground chamber. I do not think the archeologist even found it. There are runes written all around this hidden room, and I think they tell a story. I think the story will answer many of our questions. I have already told Paul most of the runes that I could remember seeing in my visions, so he can record them for future reference, but the visions are fading, and the story is incomplete," he surmised. He added, "We need to find that chamber."

"How will you find this secret room?" Hermione asked, "You might not even be able to find it, for once you enter the antechamber, something bad might happen to you, just like what happened to your brother, or even something worse, you might die like Professor McWhorter or that poor student."

"I will take that chance. I need to find a way to restore Helga's soul," he said.

She reached over the tabletop and held his arm. "Why is that your responsibility? Why must you endanger yourself for this quest?"

"She asked me to," he said, looking closely in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, the answer to her own question coming clearly to view. "You mean Helga has been in contact with you?"

Helga's request:

"Hermione, I feel guilty for what I've done, but remember when I told you sometimes I can just touch someone, and I can read their memories, and see into their minds, without their knowledge?" he asked.

She merely nodded.

"That's what I've done. I have always felt a close connection to you, even back in the days of your troubles with The Brotherhood of the Raven. When you were at Shell Cottage after your stay at St. Mungos, I did that. I am sorry. It is immoral. I should never read a person's mind without their explicit consent," he said wearily.

"What did you see?" Hermione asked.

"Take my hand again, and find out for yourself," Nick said. She did just that.

_Helga was in her chamber. She was sitting on a bench that wrapped around the turret, and she was crying, as Rowena_ _paced around the room. Rowena looked at her friend and said, "I foretold this, did I not? And now, look at the predicament you are in, I told you he was an evil man."_

"_No, he's not evil. His view on what is right and wrong, moral and immoral, differ from ours, that is all," Helga said between her tears._

_Rowena sat beside her and said, "Moral is as moral does. There is only right and wrong, and no in between."_

"_What should I do?" Helga asked._

"_I know for certain you must never tell him. You must leave this place; go back to your family. Come back here when it's safe," Ravenclaw said._

"_I can't leave," Helga explained._

"_Then we will hide you here, the best we can. Afterwards, we will come up with a solution for the problem, but you must never tell him! He will not take kindly to the news," Rowena said._

"_You haven't told Godric, have you?" Helga asked._

"_You asked me not to," Rowena declared._

"_I can't leave. I love him and he loves me," Helga said in a small voice._

_Rowena said, "He doesn't love. He only possesses. You are his possession. When he finds out that you are not a pureblood, he won't hesitate to discard you, perhaps even kill you."_

"_There's no reason for him to find out," Helga said._

"_Do you really think that?" Rowena asked, "For now he is under the myth that since you don't know your parentage, you could be pure. When he finds out that the Hufflepuffs knew of your true heritage all along, he will not love you any longer."_

_Helga began to cry again. She threw the letter on the floor and said, "I should never have written to my parents! I was content not knowing the truth," Helga declared._

"_I wanted you to write to them, because we had to find the truth out, before he did," Rowena countered, "if he was willing to make a Horcrux for you, without your permission, don't you think he would try to perform the ritual to find out if you are a pureblood, without your permission, especially now!"_

_Helga knew Rowena was right. She looked down at her belly, which was already beginning to swell. She would not be able to hide things much longer._

_Rowena took Helga's hand and she said, "I make a solemn vow to you, I will protect you for all time, not only you and your child, and your child's child, but all your heirs after that. No harm will come to this child. But know this; if he finds out that you are a half blood, and your father was a Muggle, who raped a witch that resulted in your birth, he won't hesitate to kill the child that grows inside you right now."_

"_He won't kill his own child," Helga said, but then she remembered his words. Children who were born from none magical parents, or parents who were less than pure, did not deserve to live, and did not deserve their magic. That would include her and her child._

"_I will raise your child as my own, if you would like. We can tell everyone I am with child," Rowena said, "That way, no one would question anything. Alternatively, the wiser thing would be for you to go away until your confinement is over, and then let your parents raise the child. They would love the child as their own," Rowena declared._

_Helga said, "I have to think of these things, but not today. Today, I need to rest." She walked over to her bed and lay down on the soft downy feather mattress. She closed her eyes. _

_Rowena walked silently out the door. She passed Salazar in the hall. She said, "If you seek Helga, seek no longer. She is tired and sleeping, and is in no need of an unwelcome visitor."_

"_I assure you, my lady, I am very welcomed by my Helga, and it's the middle of the day, why does she sleep?" he asked, concern etching his face. "Is there something wrong with her? Has she not healed from her wounds yet?"_

_Rowena glared at him and said, "Leave her be for now." She continued down the corridor._

_Salazar crept to Helga's room, and looked at her supine figure on the bed. He walked to her bed slowly, placing a hand to her forehead. She opened her eyes. He said, "Good day, my love. Are you unwell this day?"_

_Instead of answering, her eyes darted to the floor, where she had thrown her parent's letter, the one that was an answer to her question. She sat up and said, "I don't know why I am so tired."_

_He pulled her into his arms and held her. He said, "If this is all too much for you, all the planning and work, perhaps you need to go home for a while."_

_Helga thought his suggestion was too good to be true. She looked up at him and said, "I would be lonely without thee."_

"_Then do not stay away long," he said. _

Nick let go of Hermione's hand, and opened his eyes. She said, "You learned all of that from touching me?"

"Yes, well, really from Helga. She left the memory in you. Her spirit does not wish to cause you any more distress, so it is only from implanting her memories in you, that she can communicate things to us," Nick explained.

"Why don't you want Paul to know these things?" she asked.

"They are your memories, and Helga's, so no one else needs to know," he said. Hermione did not believe that explanation. Before she could question him further, there was a knock on her door.

Nick said, "It's Paul."

Hermione went to open her door. Paul said to Nick, "What are you doing in here?"

"Hermione wanted some information," Nick answered cryptically, while standing behind Hermione.

"I have everything ready, are we leaving?" Paul asked, smiling down at Hermione.

"Meet me down by the front doors," Nick answered. As his brother left her room, Nick turned to look at Hermione. He said to her, "Don't even try to follow us. I can tell that is your intent. Please, trust me."

Hermione said, "Why should I trust you, when you don't even trust your own brother. Tell me why you don't want Paul to know."

Nick shook his head and said, "For someone who claims not to have belief in things regarding second sight, and e.s.p., you are incredibly insightful. Now, do I have to tie you to your chair, or do you promise to say here?"

"I promise, for now," she answered.

He touched her cheek and said, "I will take care of everything. I promise."

She got ready for bed, but could not sleep. She was worried for Nick, Paul, and for some reason, Draco and Don also.

A Struggle and a Fight

She paced around her room. She could not believe what Nick revealed to her. Helga was with child, with Salazar's child. What did that mean, in the scheme of things? Was that even an important part of the puzzle? Something compelled her to go to Don's room. She did not even know if she would be able to enter.

She took a lit candle, and walked down the dark and deserted corridor. Even in her slippers, the sound of her footsteps reverberated off the walls. Once outside his room, she struggled to recall his password. She knew she had heard him speak it outside his door. Before she could recall it, she heard the sounds of footsteps approaching. She hid behind a large tapestry, which was in front of an alcove. She stood stock-still and heard Don Boot outside his own door. He said, "Goodnight, Draco. I hope you understand that by coming back, you will miss your exams tomorrow morning, and there won't be another chance to take them until the summer."

"I understand," Draco said. "I had to come back, something was wrong with Hermione tonight, I could feel it." He said goodnight to Don, and walked over to his own room. Hermione tried to leave her hiding place, but Draco only opened his door to deposit his bags. He continued down to the end of the hallway, to her room. Hermione could imagine how upset he would be when he discovered she was not there. Before Draco could reach her room, however, Don came running out of his.

Don said in a loud whisper, "Draco! Come here!"

Draco walked back and said, "What?"

"My stupid brothers aren't in my room. Furthermore, there are parchments with runes all over the place, runes from the excavation site. I fear they have gone there tonight. Damn them!"

"Let me check on Granger, and then we can go check on them," Draco stated. He started back to her room, when she revealed her hiding place.

"I'm not in my room," she said, embarrassed.

Draco looked at her confused and said, "Why are you hiding behind a tapestry?"

"I was going to try to sneak into Don's room," she explained.

Don asked, "Does this have anything to do with my brothers?"

"Yes, they went to the site," she answered, biting her bottom lip.

Don cursed under his breath, and ran down the corridor. Draco said to Hermione, "I'm going with Don, you stay here!"

"No, let me help," Hermione said.

Draco literally picked her up, put her in his room, and then locked the door with magic. Hermione was so shocked; she did not have time to scream.

After an hour, she was beside herself with worry. Instead of pacing her room, as she did earlier, she was now pacing his room. She looked at the clock. It was 2:15 am. As soon as the significance of the time dawned on her, the light disappeared from the room.

She reached for her wand, which she had tucked in her robe. A hand came toward her, and grabbed it away. Soon, the same hand struck her across her face. She stumbled and fell on the cold, stone floor. She felt the weight of a person on top of her. This was like so many of her nightmares, but this was real. This was not a dream. She tried to scream, but no sound escaped her lips.

The darkness, still overwhelming, was not as relentless as before. Her eyes were beginning to adjust to the lack of light. She pushed at the person, as they allowed her to back away. Her back was up against the wall, under Draco's window. The person reached down and stood her up. With an iron grip, the intruder's fingers gripped her arms and shook her hard. Finally, in an unfamiliar voice, she heard, "Tell me what the seer revealed to you!"

"Nothing was revealed," she answered to the darkness.

She was thrown up against the opposite wall with such force, that not only was her breath knocked out of her, but also her head hit the wall with an unnerving thud. She collapsed to the ground.

"I will come again, every night, but this time not in your dreams, until you reveal to me what Helga told the seer!" the person said again.

The person. Hermione realized, not only was this not a dream, but this was not a ghost, or a spirit, or an entity. This was a living, breathing, person, who would not hesitate to hurt her to find out what he wanted to know.

From the floor, Hermione said, "Who are you?"

"You know who I am," the man said in a deep, demanding voice. He said, "You are a filthy Mudblood, who does not deserve to live. Your life will soon be ending, but with your death, I will finally complete what I started. You may be able to escape pain, if not death, but you first must reveal Helga's memories to me!"

He reached down for her again, and with inhuman strength, lifted her straight off the floor. His hands were around her arms, and her feet dangled underneath her. She was in unbelievable pain. She would not tell him a thing. As long as she kept the secret, he might not kill her. He said, "Let me talk to Helga! I know she is still with you!"

"I don't know how!" Hermione cried, which was the truth. Tired of not receiving the answers he sought, the man threw her once more, this time toward the closed window. She fell toward the window with such a force, that her left arm went through the glass. She winced, in a great deal of pain. Blood poured from her arm.

"Dirty blood!" the voice said. Hermione sank to the floor, and closed her eyes. She heard Draco's door open, and close with a slam. She held her right hand around her left wrist, but she could do nothing to stop the bleeding. Would she die this way? Right here on Draco's floor, by someone, a man, possessed by the partial soul of Salazar Slytherin. Was that part of the Mrs. Boot's prophecy? That she would die in such a way. She would never know, for she would probably pass through this life, before she even met Mrs. Boot. Tears ran down her face. She regretted the fact that Draco would probably be the one to find her body. It would kill him. The thought of causing him such pain repulsed her.

She let go of her bleeding wrist long enough to search for her wand. She could not find it. With great effort, she struggled to stand. Her will to live was great. She reached the door, opened it, and then fell on the floor once more, just outside the door. At least she would not die in Draco's room.


	19. Part XIX

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XIX:**

Deception to the fullest:

Don reached the site first. He started calling for his brothers. He didn't care who heard him. Draco was right behind him. Don shouted, "We have to go down the stairs that leads to the antechamber underground."

Don lit his wand and they ran as fast as they could down the stairs. They found Nick right at the bottom of the stairs, in a heap. Paul was nowhere to be found. Don said, "Oh my god!" He rushed to his brother and turned him over. He was alive, but had been stunned. He levitated his body out of the chamber. He kneeled over him, and said the spell to revive him. Don was frantic. Nick was barely awake before Don was shaking his shoulder, shouting, "Where's Paul?"

Nick was confused. He said, "I really don't know. We barely entered the chamber when I was stunned. I have no idea what happened to him."

"Was he behind you or in front?" Draco asked.

"In front of me," Nick said.

"Then he may still be in the chamber," Draco suggested.

Don told the other two men to stay where they were, and he went back down to look for Paul. Nick struggled to stand. Draco offered him his hand. Draco asked, "Why did you come down here?"

"I'm searching for answers," Nick said.

"Are these answers worth your life? You are lucky you didn't let Granger come with you, for if you did, I would kill you myself," Draco said, unabashed.

"I wouldn't have let her come. Draco, I told her about what I saw that day in the cottage. The day I touched her arm, and saw Helga's memories," Nick admitted.

"You told her everything?" Draco asked.

"No," Nick shook his head, "but I told her about Helga's pregnancy. I didn't tell her about what happened down in the room, but you realize she may remember these things on her own."

Draco was beside himself with anger. "You shouldn't have told her anything! I asked you not to. Now she will be curious, and relentless, and she won't give up until she uncovers the mystery. You had no right."

Nick was not intimidated. He said, "I had every right! Helga picked her, so it is only through Hermione we will uncover the truth. Moreover, if you think Salazar will leave her alone, you are wrong, so wrong. Especially now."

"What do you mean, especially now?" Draco asked.

Before he could get his answer, Don came running up from the chamber, "He's not down there. Paul isn't down there. Could he have entered the secret chamber?"

"How did you know about that?" Nick asked.

"I guess just like you, I have secrets. Now, answer the bloody question!" Don yelled.

"We were coming down here tonight to try to open the secret chamber, so I don't think he could have done it without me," Nick admitted.

"Let's go back to the castle, perhaps he's there," Draco said with urgency. He really wanted to get back to Hermione.

Not knowing what else to do, Don agreed. He tried to help Nick walk, but Nick shrugged off his support. "Fine, fall down for all I care!" Don shouted.

When they reached the edge of the excavation site, Nick turned on Don and said, "What's up your arse? He's my brother too, and I'm just as worried as you are!"

"Then try for once being an adult!" Don shouted, "Take care of things! You shouldn't have brought him down here, and if you did want to come exploring, you should have insisted he stay up at the castle with Hermione. You know one of us have to stay with Draco and Hermione at all times, and you knew I was with Draco. You left her alone!"

"She was safer having Paul with me, than if Paul had been with her!" Nick said. That statement surprised both Don and Draco.

Draco asked, "What do you mean?"

Nick looked dejected as he said, "Don, I didn't want anyone to know, but after Slytherin left me, he re-entered Paul. So far, I have been able to control him, and keep him from re-appearing and hurting anyone. I did not want anyone to know, because I wanted access to Slytherin's memories. That is why I needed Paul to come with me, for I wanted to call on Slytherin. Paul doesn't know a thing about this."

Draco said, "Why didn't you tell us this! Hermione could have been left alone with him at anytime."

"I was careful that they were never alone, and I have not told Paul anything about Hermione's memories of Helga, nor would I," Nick stated.

They had almost reached the castle by this time, and Don said, "You should have been honest with us from the beginning, and you shouldn't have tried to handle all of this on your own."

"You would have insisted Paul stay at St. Mungos, restrained and watched, and then I wouldn't have been able to help Helga. Our goal is to help Hermione and Draco, and indirectly Helga. I won't apologize. You aren't the only one who cares, Don."

They finally reached the castle. Paul came running toward them. He looked like he had been in a fight of some kind. There was blood all over him. Don ran up to him and pulled him in an embrace. He said, "What happened to you? Where have you been?"

"I really don't know. The last thing I remember is walking in front of Nick down the stairs at the excavation site. I woke up outside the main doors of the castle only a moment ago. I was cold and half-frozen, and there was blood all over me. I immediately thought of Nick, and I was coming to find him when I saw all of you walking toward the castle," Paul said, distracted.

Draco's thoughts went immediately to Hermione. He had a bad feeling. He grabbed Paul and pushed him toward the entryway of the school. Under the lights of the main hall, he pulled off Paul's jacket. "HEY!" Paul shouted.

"What are you doing, Draco?" Don asked, trying to restrain him.

"Check him for wounds!" Draco demanded. "See if that's his blood!"

Don instantly understood what Draco meant. He walked up to his brother, and lifted his jumper and his shirt. He saw no signs of bleeding. He turned him around and checked his back. He pulled up his sleeves. He said, "Nick, take him down to my office, and put him under magical restraints. Draco, let's go find Hermione."

"Why? What's wrong? What have I done?" Paul shouted. Nick wasted no time explaining. He directed his brother down toward the dungeons, as the other two men ran up the stairs to the teacher's wing. The whole way Draco chanted a single mantra in his mind, "Don't be dead, Hermione." He had a sinking feeling in the depths of his heart. They ran through the portrait way, and down the corridor. They turned down the hallway to the left, which led to Draco's room. As soon as he turned the corner, his heart broke in a million pieces, for he saw her, on her stomach, in a pool of blood, her hair covering her face, right outside his room.

He stopped a meter away, fell on his knees, and screamed so loud that he could have woken the dead. His scream echoed throughout the teacher's wing, and seemed to travel throughout the entire school. Teachers began to run out of their rooms. Don Boot yelled at one of the teachers to go get the Headmistress. He pushed Draco aside, who had yet to touch her. He kneeled beside her as well, and brushed her hair off her face. He placed a hand on her neck, to feel for a pulse. As he did so, Neville came up and wrapped a cloth tightly, like a tourniquet, around her bleeding arm. Don said, "She's still alive."

The Awful Truth:

Draco crawled over to her body. By this time, Don had bent down to try to pick her up, to take her to the Hospital wing. Draco pushed Don away. He would not let anyone touch her. He drew his wand at Don. The headmistress disarmed Draco as soon as she walked down the hall. She said, "Mr. Longbottom, please escort Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing. Professor Boot, please pick up Hermione."

They all arrived at the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey went right to work. She healed the horrible laceration on her arm. She also had a broken finger, and a gash in the back of her head that needed healed. She had lost over half the blood in her body, so she required a blood replenishment potion. She was still unconscious, when the other teachers all left. Bill Weasley came up to Draco and said, "Draco, go get some rest."

Draco stood up from the bed beside her and said, "Paul Boot did this!"

Don said, "We don't know that!"

"Your own brother Nick thinks Paul did this!" Draco said.

"No, he said he thinks he may still have contact with Slytherin. That doesn't mean he did this!" Don shouted.

Draco hit the other man on the jaw, which caused Don to stumble and fall. The Headmistress said, "Mr. Malfoy, unless you want to lose your job, abstain from further displays of fisticuffs."

Bill helped Don out of the room, and Draco went to lie down next to Hermione on the bed. Everyone left but Madame Pomfrey. She said, "Mr. Malfoy, do you need a blanket?"

Draco loved that old woman. He smiled and told her no. He put his right arm behind Hermione's pillow, and his left arm over her chest. He touched her face lightly with his hand. "Hermione, I love you," he said, putting his face next to hers, and touching her lips with his. "It's my fault. You would have been safer with me. How did he get in my room?" He took several deep breaths to calm his nerves, for he felt on the verge of tears, and he was so tired of feeling that way. Life was so precarious, and for them it seemed nothing would ever be easy.

It was almost dawn, when she first made a sound. He had not slept at all. He looked down at her, as she opened her eyes. He kissed her cheek and said, "You are fine, little one. I'm here. I love you and I swear we will never ever spend another night apart. I won't ever leave you." He said his declaration in a mere whisper.

She opened her eyes and asked, "Draco, are Nick and Paul okay? Did you find them?" Her voice sounded distant, far away.

He said, "They're fine." He wanted to ask her if she remembered what happened, but he didn't want to upset her. Finally, he asked what was on his mind, "Do you remember what happened to you?"

"Yes. You had locked the door and left me behind. At exactly 2:15 am, 2:15, Draco! I was attacked. Do you see the significance of the time? It was Slytherin, he wanted to talk to Helga, and he wanted to know what secrets were revealed to me by Nick. He said I was a Mudblood who deserved to die, and my death would serve some greater purpose. He said he would come to me each night, at the same time, and torture me until I told him all I knew." She began to cry.

He rained small kisses oh her face. He said, "Did you see his face?"

"Draco, it was a person. This wasn't just a nightmare this time. It was a real person. That is why he hurt me so badly. I don't know how he got in your room, but it wasn't a spirit, or a dream," she recalled.

"I know. I think it was Paul Boot," Draco said.

Hermione was shocked. "No, he was with his brother."

"Nick was stunned as soon as he entered the outer chamber. Paul was missing. Nick revealed to us that Salazar had never completely left Paul," Draco said, "The Ministry sent several Aurors to talk to the brothers. There's talk of closing down the school early for Christmas break."

Hermione lay in Draco's arms, and did not say one world in response to what he said. Could Paul have really done this? If so, she knew he was not responsible. If anyone were, it would be Nick, for not revealing that information. Hermione said, "I'm tired."

"Go to sleep, Hermione," he ordered. She shut her eyes and did what he demanded.

Many hours later, how many, she did not know, she woke up. Harry Potter was sitting on her bed, stroking her hand.

"Hello, Hermione," Harry said, solemnly.

"Harry," she acknowledged.

"How could things have gotten this bad?" Harry asked. Hermione did not know if he truly expected her to answer that question, but she did not know the answer anyway, so she remained quiet. "First, Draco tries to kill you at Halloween, and now just six weeks later, this happens. What is going to happen next? When will you be safe?"

"I don't know what to say to you, Harry. This is all out of my control," she said, almost feeling as if he were accusing her.

He said, "The Ministry is forcing the school to close a week early, for Christmas break. I have decided that you are coming to the Burrow with me, so I can watch over you. Malfoy can come, too."

"No, I want to go to my parents," she suddenly decided.

"I can't protect you there," Harry stated.

"No, but I can," Draco said from the doorway. "I think we should go there. My mum can come Christmas Eve. The further we are from Hogwarts, and Paul Boot, the better."

"Is it Saturday?" Hermione asked, somewhat confused as to the date and time.

"Yes, its Saturday," Harry said to her.

"Did Mr. and Mrs. Boot arrive yet?" Hermione asked.

"Yes," Draco said, sitting on the other side of the bed, since Harry was still on the one side.

"I still want to talk to her," Hermione said.

"No, I don't want you to!" Draco stated sternly.

"Draco, we have to hear what she has to say," Hermione said. "I also want to see Nick. Is he still here?"

Harry answered that one, "Yes, he is. They took Paul away. He is going to be in a locked ward at St. Mungos. We don't know for sure that he did this, especially since you can't identify him, so without solid, concrete evidence, we have no reason to hold him for long."

"He will be released and kill her next time," Draco said with anger, "And I'll be damned if I'll just sit around and wait for that."

"They are going to control him under the Imperius curse. It was Nick's suggestion. I can't believe the Ministry approved the use of an unforgivable curse, but in this case, I can't really object," Harry revealed. Then Harry said, "We can't hold him forever just because Draco thinks he's got some piece of soul from one of the founders floating around inside him."

"Go to hell, Potter," was the only thing Draco could think to say.

"I'll meet you there, Malfoy," Harry spat back, standing from her bed and crossing to the other side of the room.

"Enough!" Don Boot shouted from the doorway of the Hospital Wing. He gave each man a warning look and then looked down at Hermione. "Hermione, my mother still wants to see you, but in light of what's happened, and since you are still weak, she wants to wait until after Christmas, but before school resumes. Would that be alright with you?"

"I still want to talk to her. I will be at my parents for Christmas. You can contact me there. Will Nick be there, too? I want him present," she said.

"He'll be there," Don assured her.

"Is he here right now?" she asked.

"Yes, but he is ashamed to see you," Don told her.

"I want to see him," she confirmed.

Another Painful Memory:

Draco told Hermione he would not let her see Nick alone. Harry said the same. She did not care. She just had to see Nick. Something was bothering her. She had a new memory, and she needed to let him know what she remembered. She did not know if it was real or not.

Nick came into the room and sat on a chair next to her bed. He looked so tired. Before she could say anything to him, he said, "If I ever thought Paul would hurt you, I would have stopped him. It is illegal, and I should not say this with Harry sitting in the room, since he is training to be an Auror, but I have been using the Imperius curse on him, to control him. I have a theory that when we entered the underground chamber, the hold Slytherin had over Paul became stronger than the Imperius. I'm so sorry."

"Nick, it's fine, I don't blame either you or Paul. You will tell him that, won't you?" Hermione asked.

He merely nodded, and then he said, "Why did you need to see me?"

"I need to tell you about another flash of memory that I had. Maybe you could even use Legilimency to retrieve the memory. It is one of Helga's, and it is close to the surface. I think it might help you somehow," she told him.

He looked over at Draco. Then he looked at Harry. Both men gave him warning glares. He didn't care. He moved from the chair to sit on the side of her bed and held her hand. He shut his eyes, and so did she.

All he saw was the pewter cylinder, the underground spring, a struggle, and the same runes written on the walls, that he already knew from his own visions. The only flash that made sense was Salazar pulling Helga out of the water, and crying over her body. That part he saw clearly, but he had already seen all of this before. Either Hermione did not remember as much as she thought, or Helga was protecting this memory from Nick. Either way, Nick knew it wouldn't be long before Hermione remembered exactly what happened down in that room.

Nick opened his eyes as the memory ended. He did not learn a lot from that recollection. He had already deduced before this vision that Salazar must have created an object for Helga's Horcrux, which was undoubtedly the pewter cylinder, and that he most certainly created her Horcrux before she left for her parents. Second, the spring they saw in her memory, and the chamber from the castle ruins she saw in her vision, must have been the same spring and chamber from the archaeology site, but as to its true purpose, Nick was still in the dark. "I'm sorry, I don't see much," he said, "When did this memory occur?"

"I just remembered it when I woke up," Hermione said. Hermione, who wanted to remember Helga's memory as vividly as if it were her own memory, said, "What do you think?"

He leaned down, and whispered in her ear, so Don, Draco and Harry could not hear, "I think more than ever that I have to go to that chamber." He leaned back up and said, "You need to go away for Christmas with Draco. I know that is what you have planned. I hope to have some answers for you when you get back. My mother and I will see you on December 28th."

"Be careful," she warned.

He smiled and said, "I will be. You be careful, too. Did you know that Don over there plans to go with you to your parents?"

Don stood up and said, "I haven't even told them that yet. Damn your second sight!"

Nick wiggled his eyebrows and said, "I bet your parents will be thrilled with a wolf in the house. Hope he does not bite. He might have fleas, however." Hermione smiled. He said, "Do me a favour. I want you to keep a journal, and write down any flash of memories that you have that you do not clearly recognize as your own. Maybe when we see each other again, we can piece everything together."

He bent down and kissed her forehead.

After he left, Draco said, "What did you remember?"

She told him she would tell him later. She did not want to worry him. It did not matter, for Draco was worried enough without her telling him her vision. Though it did seem they were close to the truth, the thought of that scared him. He felt the truth, instead of setting them free, might truly be the end of it all.

Harry and Don left shortly after Nick did. Soon, it was early afternoon, and Draco felt like it had been one of the longest days of his life. As he held Hermione in his arms, he thought about what he wanted his future to be. He wanted a wife, a career, and a family, nothing too obtuse, nothing too extreme. He just wanted to be happy. Why was that happiness so elusive?

Hermione cuddled in his arms, with her hand on his chest. She said, "They might close the school permanently if we don't uncover the truth soon."

He wanted to yell at her, but she was in the hospital after all, so he would just speak firmly. He sat up on her bed and said, "It's none of your concern! Leave it alone. How many times do I have to ask that of you, until you are dead? Do you know what that would do to me? We don't have to uncover anything. We are just teachers here, well, I'm not even that yet, but we only have to do our jobs."

"But, Draco," she started.

He stood from the bed, and paced back and forth at the foot, "No, Hermione! I know you have the constant need to save the day! I know it dates back to your days with Potter and Weasley, but why can't you just be content with a normal, happy life? A life with me?"

She sat up, though it caused her pain. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I didn't ask for this to happen. What can I do? If I could stop it, I would!"

"Would you?" he spat, "I don't believe that. I don't think you are happy unless there's drama and mystery surrounding you."

"That's unfair," she stated.

"No, that's the truth!" he said. He sat down on the bed next to her and hung his head. He did not want to argue, but he had to make her understand. He took a deep breath, and looked up into her eyes. She was staring right at him, on the threshold of tears.

"Hermione," he began, "I can't lose you. I know what it feels like to lose you, from before, and I know I am not strong enough to withstand that type of pain again. If I have to take you far away, or modify your memories, or use the damn Imperius curse on you, I will. I will, Hermione. Don't leave me."

She did not know what to say to that. She looked at him many moments and said, "I have no plans to leave you. Just tell me what you want me to do."

"I want you to love me as much as I love you," he said sadly.

Her voice caught in her throat. How could he say something like that? "I love you more than life itself."

"More than solving this mystery?" he asked.

"Of course," she said, her tears now flowing.

He still sat on her bed. He did not touch her. He said, "Then express you love for me by ending this."

"I may not be able to end it, and then what?" she asked, "If I have another vision, will you claim I hate you? If I wake up in the morning with a strange bruise or scratch, will you claim I do not love you anymore? You are being irrational, and immature, and making demands that have no basis or merit. Maybe we should part for a while. I feel like you are smothering me." She took her engagement ring off her finger, and held it out to him.

"That's your ring," he said, with a flat tone.

"I don't want it, if I have to worry about you not loving me anymore," she responded.

He was so angry he stood up and threw the bed beside hers over on its side. Harry and Don Boot ran back into the hospital room. Hermione was crying, with her hands over her face.

"No one said anything about breaking our engagement! Fine, give me my fucking ring!" he demanded. She threw the ring at him and it hit him on the chest. He stormed out of the room, as the sound of the ring clanged on the stone floor. Confused and more alone than he had ever felt in his life, he ran up to his room. It would be a painfully long Christmas without Hermione, but even a longer and more painful life.

Later that evening, close to dusk, Draco was walking around the outside of the castle. It was a excruciatingly cold night. He wanted to feel the cold. He wanted to feel the pain. How could he let things turn out so wrong? He rubbed his hands on his arms, and pulled his scarf tighter. He was rounding the side of the castle when he saw a white floating mass, far ahead, but coming closer. He strained his eyes to see. He could not make out a form, or a person, it was just white smoke. He heard a strange sound emitting from the mass, but the sound formed into words in his head.

"Don't leave her, and don't let her leave you. You need each other. Your destiny, carved in stone, and written before you were born, cannot be broken. Go to her."

The mist evaporated, and Draco felt warm for the first time that evening, even though it was still bitterly cold outside. He looked up at the castle, and somehow he was directly under the hospital wing. He saw from a distance that Hermione was in one of the windows, looking down at him.

(Coming up: A lighter chapter; Christmas with the Grangers)


	20. Part XX

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XX: CHRISTMAS TIME:**

It Came Upon A Midnight Clear:

Hermione sat in her parents' living room, looking out at the falling rain. It should be snowing, but it was raining. There was black ice on the roadways, and from all the trees hung icicles, which resembled crystal chandeliers. She had a cup of hot chocolate between her hands, warming her from the impending cold. She felt sad and morose. She had not seen Draco for four days. Not since she threw her engagement ring at his chest. She saw him staring up at her from the grounds of the school that night, but that was the last time she saw him. She thought that surely he had seen her as well, but perhaps she was wrong, for she waited for him to come up to the hospital wing, apologize, pull her in his arms, and tell her that he loved her always, and would never leave her. That did not happen.

She was a fool. He did not come up and apologize. He did not pull her in his arms, and he did not tell her that he loved her. Instead, Don Boot told her the next day that Draco was going home to the Manor. Don said that he had to stay with one of them, and frankly, Draco's need was greater than her need. He said that Draco was so sad and depressed, that Don was afraid of what he might do. She said she understood. Don smiled at her, kissed her cheek, and wished her a 'Happy Christmas'. He told her that there would still be others watching her, but that she should be careful, and stay with her parents at all times.

As she sat in the chair, looking at the freezing rain, she wondered what he was doing right at that moment. Was he in bed? It was after 11:00 pm. Her mum and dad had already gone to bed. Tomorrow her dad wanted her to go with him to buy a tree, and do some shopping for her mum. Even though Don warned her to stay close to home, she did not see the harm. She had been at her parents' house for four days, and though she had not had one nightmare or vision regarding the founders, she still had not been able to sleep, because she missed Draco.

That was why she was sitting in the living room, drinking cocoa, at 11:00 pm, watching the freezing rain come down outside her window. Without him, she felt she was nothing. She was more alone than she had ever felt in her entire life.

She went up to the guestroom, where she was staying, and she took out a parchment and quill. She wrote "I'm sorry!" and she folded the paper, in half, and then in quarters. She cried while she put it in an envelope. She threw the quill across the room, got up from the desk, and sat in the corner of the room, rocking back and forth, holding the parchment. She took it out of its envelope, and clinched it in her hand. She cried, and kept saying, "I'm so sorry, Draco, I'm sorry." She was going to send him the apology, but what was the use? He would not forgive her.

She finally fell asleep, still on the floor, in the corner, with the parchment tight in her hand. Someone entered her room. He walked up to her body, curled in a ball, on the cold floor. His heart broke for her. He got down on his knees by her body, and took the piece of parchment from her hand. He read the words written on the crumpled piece of yellow paper, and folded it up and put it in his pocket. He went over to her bed, took a blanket that was folded on the end, and put it over her body. He sat beside her on the floor, and drew her head onto his lap. He stroked her hair, as she slept, and he said, "I'm sorry, too."

When she woke shortly after, she was no longer on the floor. She was on the bed. She had no recollection of moving from the floor to the bed. She sat up, and saw Draco on the bed, sleeping next to her. She blinked twice, to make sure she was not dreaming. She was not. He was real, and he was there, beside her. She put her head on his chest and started to cry.

He woke up, as her tears soaked his shirt. He brushed the hair out of her eyes and said, "Why do you cry, little one?"

"Is this a dream?" she asked.

"If it is, would you say it's a good dream, or a nightmare?" he asked solemnly.

"Where have you been?" she asked, not answering his inane question.

"With my mother," he said. "Your mother wrote my mother, and said you were miserable, and since I was too, I thought we could meet up and be miserable together," he said softly, kissing the top of her head. She put her chin on his chest and looked in his eyes.

"I'm sorry," she said.

He took her note from his pocket and said, "I know, I read your note. I am sorry, too. I love you and I won't ever leave you again."

She said, "Don't make promises you can't keep," and she sat up on the bed, with her back to him.

"Why would you say that?" he asked. He put one hand on her back. He sat up beside her and pulled her into an embrace. He lay back down, pulling her on top of him. "I always keep my promises. I will not leave you again." He drew a finger down her cheek and sighed. "I may not be as smart as you, but I'm smart enough to know a good thing when I have it tight in my grasp. You are mine forever, and I will cherish and hold you until the end of my days."

She smiled and looked up at him and said, "Those could be your wedding vows."

He smiled back and said, "No, my wedding vows will be, 'I used to call you Mudblood, but now I call you my wife'."

She hit his chest. She said, "Then mine could be, 'I used to think you were a prat, and now I know you are'."

He said, "Mine are better. More poetic."

She touched his cheek, and then put her hand in his hair. She brushed her fingertips lightly over his eyelashes. She leaned toward him and kissed his right eye, and then his left eye. When she settled back down on the pillow, she said, "May I have my ring back?"

He seemed panicked for a moment, and that worried her. He said, "I don't have your ring. Remember, it bounced off my chest and hit the floor. I never bent down to pick it up."

She sat up suddenly. "Oh." She did not know what else to say. "I hope Madame Pomfrey found it, or one of the elves." She had a concerned look on her face.

He said, "I'll get you another ring."

"I want that ring," she said.

She put her hands up to her eyes and sobbed. He sat beside her and brushed her hair away from her forehead. He reached back in his pocket and said, "Here's your ring, you silly little Muggle-born. I went back in that night and got it off the floor. You were already asleep." He placed it back on her finger, where it belonged.

"You're mean," she smiled, "there was no reason to cause me undue worry and stress."

"You have a point, but you are so gullible sometimes, that I find it fun to torment you," he said, pulling her back down to his chest.

"Did you have fun when we were children, and you tormented me?" she asked, shivering. He reached down and pulled the bedspread over the blankets, to provide her with extra warmth.

"One time, when we were in Fifth year, I saw you outside under a tree, near the edge of the grounds. You had books all around you, and you were feverish writing on a piece of parchment. I had every intention of coming up and making fun of you. I had several witty comments right on the edge of my tongue. You had a big smear of ink on your cheek, and I was going to say it improved your looks. I had another witty comment at my beck and call, something akin to the fact that it was rather muddy out, and you were sitting in the mud…Mudblood in the mud."

"However, there was no one else around who would witness my torment, so what fun was there in it for me. For, I never really hated you, not really. Without Scarhead and Red around, or any of my Slytherin cronies, I found I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I didn't want to make you angry."

"Of course, if you were yelling at me," he continued, "then at least you were interacting with me, which was more than could be expected, and much more than I could hope, so I did the next best thing. The only thing I could think to do, to get your attention."

Hermione finally interrupted and said, "I remember. You sat down under a tree just a stone's throw from me. I looked up, saw you, and grimaced. I reached in my pocket, to make sure I had my wand. You merely glanced at me, took out a book, and said, 'A fine day for a read'. I was shocked, to say the least. Here was Draco Malfoy, pureblood bigot extraordinaire, actually making conversation, not calling me names, not cursing me, or being mean. I don't even think I responded to your comment."

"You didn't, but after just a few minutes you stood up, picked up your things, and walked off, but what you didn't know, was that I knew you looked back at me twice. Not just once, but twice. You smiled the second time," Draco reminisced.

"Did I?" she asked. "That's not such a bad memory, is it?"

He did not answer. Instead, he said, "I miss this."

"What?" she inquired.

"This. Just talking, embracing, and being normal with each other. No drama, no pain, no mystery to unravel," he explained.

"I know what you mean," she said lightly.

He pulled her over to his chest, grasped her face, and pulled her into a kiss. He forced her to look at him and said, "I won't let anything take moments like this away from me, mark my words."

"Fine." That was the only response she could give.

He rolled over, placing her on her back. He brought his hand down from her shoulder to her hip. He rested it on her stomach, before leaning over and kissing her again. This time, the kiss was urgent, and right on the edge. He meant this kiss. He meant every kiss, but especially this one.

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!

"How do I love thee, let me count the ways," Draco said, smiling, and tracing his fingers lightly down her arm, to entwine her fingers in his. He held her hand up, still grasping it tightly, and brought it to his lips. "One, I love your hands, so delicate, lithe, graceful and agile." He let go of her hand, and turned to his side. She turned to face him. "Two, I love your eyes, for they are more than the window to your soul, they are the window to mine," he said, as he brought her forward and kissed first her left eye, then her right. "Three, I love your mouth, and your rosy red lips, so ripe for kissing," and to demonstrate, he leaned forward, kissing her long and passionately.

"Four, I love your mind, for its brilliance, its knowledge, its expectations, and its wonderful intelligence." He kissed her forehead. "Five, I love your heart, for each beat of your heart sends out a message to mine, telling me how much you love me." He leaned forward, and kissed the valley between her breasts. He pushed her to her back. "Six, I love your soul," he said, placing his hand on her chest, "Your soul is the most beautiful thing about you. It is your lifeline, which connects you to this world, and to the next, which also holds a tangible lifeline to mine. I love your soul." He kissed her mouth again, a wanting, deliberate kiss.

She was breathless, more from his words, than from his actions.

Hermione brought her hand up to his cheek and said, "You are my day, and my night, my now and my forever. Everyday my love for you grows. Never doubt how important you are to my life. I would cease to exist, if you did not exist." She hugged him so tightly, that he thought she was never going to let go. He did not want her to let go.

She began to cry. He did not know why. He said, "What's wrong, Hermione?"

"I really was awful to you, and you only wanted what was best for me," she said, humbly.

"It's about time you appreciate how wonderful I am," he said, with a crooked smile. She hit his arm.

Hermione hid her head in his chest and said, "What did you tell your mum, when you went home without me?"

"I told her you were a harpy, and you were mean to me, and broke my heart, and threw your ring at me, and made me cry," he rambled.

She smiled and looked in his eyes and said, "What was her reaction?"

"Truthfully?" he asked. She nodded. "She asked me what I did to you, and whatever it was, I probably deserved everything you did to me. What can I say, my mother loves you."

"I'm sure," she said doubtfully.

"What did you tell your mum and dad?" he asked.

"My mum immediately started to show me all the plans for the wedding, and I started crying and told her that I was a harpy, and I was mean to you, and I broke your heart, and threw my ring at you, and, what was the other thing?"

"Made me cry," he added.

"Yes, and I made you cry," she said.

"What did they say? Did they ask what I did to deserve it?" he asked.

"No, they asked me what I did to you, to make you, make me, so angry," she laughed. "See, I guess my parents love you, too."

"Hermione, let's not fight anymore," he said lightly.

"Draco, I can almost guarantee that won't work. Of course, we are going to fight, probably a lot, but that's okay. That's life. People fight, and then make up, everyday," she said, rationally.

"Way to bust my romantic bubble, Granger," he said, with a sour expression.

"The truth hurts sometimes, Malfoy," she laughed.

"So, we fought, and then we made up, so what's next?" he asked.

"Life. We continue with our life. Don't let the bastards get us down," she said, yawning.

"Go back to sleep, Granger. It will be dawn soon, and we have Christmas things to do. What do Muggles do for Christmas, anyway?" he said, rubbing her back.

"Probably the same things purebloods do, Draco," she said, slightly annoyed.

"They have their house elves decorate the trees?" he asked earnestly.

She laughed, "Of course, not."

"They have their house elves cook a Christmas feast?" he asked, with a smile.

"No, not quite," she said, kissing his chin.

"Do they capture Muggles and chain them together and force them to stand around the tree, and sing Christmas carols?" he asked.

She sat up at that one, looked at him harshly, and said, "Certainly not, and that one better be a joke."

"You can pretend if you want, but it's not a joke," he said, sitting up as well, "My favourite song for the enslaved Muggles to sing was 'Hark, the Purebloods are better than me, glory to the pureblood kings!'."

"Draco!" she warned.

"What? Do you prefer 'Oh, Come all ye Mudbloods'?" he asked, wide eyed.

She turned to him and hit his chest twice, "That's so mean!" She pushed him down and straddled his waist. She said, "Apologize!"

"I'm sorry!" he said, bringing his hands up in a defensive mode, "I should have known your favourite song was 'Muggles roasting over an open fire', so forgive me for getting that wrong."

She hit him a few more times and said, "Now would be a perfect time to stop talking!" She hit him once more.

"Make me," he challenged.

She said, "I will, don't push me, for I will."

"Prove it, Granger!" he said.

She leaned down and kissed him hard. She even bit down on his bottom lip, and he yelped. "Hey, you brute," he said, bringing his hand up to his lip. He put his finger to her face and said, "Look! Blood, Granger! You have shed some of my wonderful, pure blood!" She took both his hands and put them over his head.

"I will shed even more if you ever, even in jest, mention Mudbloods roasting over an open flame!" Hermione said, bringing her nose down to his.

"It was Muggles roasting over an open fire, smart-arse!" he said.

She frowned, and for a brief moment, he thought he might have really hurt her feelings, but then he knew, deep in his heart, that she still loved him. He smiled brightly and said, "Kiss me, little one, for that will shut me up again."

She obliged.

She sat back up, after kissing him, and pulled off her pajama top. He said, "What do you think you are doing?"

She did not answer. She rolled off him and removed her pajama pants, and was now only in her white cotton knickers. He smiled an almost wicked smile and said, "Ah, white cotton, my all time favourite," and he let his finger graze the side of her panties, to feel the material.

He pushed her on her back and attacked her lips again. This time, he was in charge. He stopped for a moment, and then removed his jumper and t-shirt. He kicked off his shoes and socks, and came back to her mouth. He explored her lips, and tongue, and her entire mouth for long moments. He could honestly kiss her forever, and if there were never anything else in his life, he would still be happy.

His hand stayed atop her breast, not even moving. His lips came to one of her mounds, and he kissed all around it, on the top, the side, the bottom, and between it and its mate. He avoided the peaks. He was teasing her, and he knew she could do nothing about it. Or perhaps she could.

She said, "No foreplay, let's just make love, please."

He smiled and said, "I will do whatever I want, and you will enjoy it," and he reached over and stroked her cheek. He leaned over and kissed her lips once more, swirling his tongue inside her mouth. He put his tongue on one of her nipples finally, rolling it around and sucking hard until it became erect. He hungered for her, and he wanted to feast on her, like she was the ultimate Christmas feast, and he was the only one who would ever devour her.

He reached down and removed her panties, and stroked her, as her hands came up and buried themselves in his hair. He continued the slow, torturous massage, until she was wet with her own desire, and he knew he wanted to taste her with every fiber of his being. He looked up at her face, and her eyes were shut and her mouth slightly open. He could not believe she was his.

He removed the rest of his clothing, and as he continued to stare at her face, she opened her eyes, and their gazes met, and he was full of desire. He took both her hands, and held them in one of his, on her stomach, as he kissed her mouth again. He let her hands go, to touch her most private area, as he exclaimed, "so beautiful, more than I ever imagined," and he dipped his head, and kissed her sweet spot. He took her hands again, in only one of his. His other hand opened her wider, as he explored her with his tongue.

She started to come just from the pleasure of his mouth, and she tried to remain quiet, with her parents down the hall, but she still let out a small moan. His tongue flicked her over and over, repeatedly, and her legs bent at the knees, and her toes curled, and she could not escape the cries that came from her mouth.

He wanted to be inside her more than ever, so that was what happened next. He raised himself on his arms, and showing her no mercy, he arched his back and entered her. Pleasure rose from the depth of his soul, and traveled through space and time to her soul. Unimaginable pleasure, and pain, as he had never known before, passed through them. He opened his eyes and the look on her face was his reward. She was utterly pleased and satisfied.

He continued, fast, hard, slow, gentle, and every adjective in between. This was not run-of-the-mill fast sex. This was heaven-glorified soul-searching ultimate act of making love. The feel of her warmth around his body was more than he could bear, and he was close to the end. So close. She was vital to his very existence, and they had no barriers between them, so when they finally came, together, in waves of pleasure and ecstasy, it was more intense than they had ever felt before. Their lovemaking was awe inspiring, at least to them. She could only feel him, and he could only feel her, as he quaked inside her, and they came mutually for the first of many times that night.

Christmas time is here:

After making love, a total of four times, the morning light was finally finding comfort in the dark confines of her room. She was dozing off and on, but he was still wide-awake. He cupped her cheek, and kissed her lips gently, and said, "Good morning."

"Is it?" she said, tired.

"I don't know," he answered, honestly.

"Do you know my parents have all kind of plans for today, and thanks to you, I didn't get any sleep last night," she stated.

"I'm a horrible, evil person, and I should be flogged and hung in the village square," he said.

"What nonsense," she said, "we don't have a village square."

"Ha!" he responded.

There was a knock on her door. He said, "Probably your mum. She let me in last night. She loves me, you know. Possibly more than she loves you." She glared at him and he said, "I'm just saying…it's possible."

Hermione got off the bed, put on her robe, and opened the door. Her mum said, "You and Draco get showered and dressed, and then come down for breakfast. We are going Christmas shopping today. That nice Mr. Boot is coming with us."

"Okay, mum," Hermione said, shutting the door. She turned to Draco and said, "I didn't know Don came with you last night. He really is sticking to you like glue, isn't he?"

"Yes, he takes this guardian thing serious," Draco said, hopping off the bed. He bent down and picked up his pants, and slipped them on before he kissed her mouth gently and said, "What do you want for Christmas, Hermione, and please, don't say you don't want anything. I hate when people say that."

"Oh no, I want something," she said, placating him. He raised one eyebrow, and she said, "But, I think I already received my present. For all I wanted for Christmas was you, and here you are."

"And to think, I didn't have to spend even a Knut on you," he joked. He said, "Do you know what I want for Christmas?"

She hugged him tight and asked, "Me?"

He scoffed and said, "Heavens no. I want a bright, new, shiny black, car."

"What would you do with a car? You can't even drive," she said, puzzled.

"You can't afford it anyway, so it's a moot point, but a man can dream," he said, walking toward the bathroom.

"When I marry you, I will have tons of money, so I will buy it for you then," she said.

"You won't get a dime of my money, so you better not quit your day job," he said, adding, "I call the shower first."

"That's not fair," she said, sitting on the bed, "I take longer, I should go first."

"I'll share," he said, leaning against the doorframe.

She smiled and ran into the bathroom and said, "What are we waiting for?"

(More Christmas, next chapter.)


	21. Part XXI

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XXI:**

Hermione remembers:

Hermione was getting dressed. She was happier than she had been in a long time. It was Christmas time, and Draco had returned to her. She could not have asked for a better Christmas gift.

"Hermione, hurry up and come down for breakfast!" her mum yelled up the stairs.

She stood in front of the bathroom mirror, brushing her hair, when a memory flashed before her, so strong and vivid in detail that she was sure it had just happened yesterday.

_Helga sat in a chair, brushing her long honey coloured hair, when she concluded that she had to leave. She could never tell Salazar about their child. She stood up and began to pace back and forth in her room. She had written to her parents, at the insistence of Rowena, to find out all they knew of her birthparents. They wrote back that her mother was a very gifted witch. She was the youngest sister of Helga's adoptive mother. Although she was a witch, who displayed early signs that she was extremely gifted, she was often taken to fits of depression, and melancholy. When her birth mother was only 14, she thought she fell in love with a boy from another village. He was not magical, and did not know she was. When she revealed that she was a witch, he assaulted her, raped her, and left her for dead. She never used magic again._

_She went to live with her sister and brother-in-law, and just after Helga was born, she took her own life. Helga's aunt and uncle became her parents, telling no one that she was not theirs. When Helga was 15, they told her a part of the story. They told her that they adopted her, and they loved her as their own, but that she was not a pureblood. They told her never to reveal that fact to anyone. It never mattered to her, for pureblood or not, she was a happy, content, gifted, witch. _

_Then she met Salazar Slytherin, and nothing else mattered more. If she could have traded all that she had to be a pureblood for him, she would._

_She sent for Rowena that night. She told her the story of how Godric and Salazar met. She told her this so she would perhaps understand from where Salazar's anger came._

"_Have you ever heard the story of how Godric and Salazar met?" Helga asked, as Rowena sat on Helga's bed._

_Rowena admitted that she had not. Helga told her that when Godric and Salazar first came to her farm, she became fast friends with Godric. Her relationship with Slytherin, while more guarded, soon became more than friendship. She and Salazar would talk about magic, their hopes and dreams, but he never wanted to talk about his past._

_One day, when Helga and Godric were alone, Helga asked him about his and Salazar's past. He revealed how he and Slytherin met. When Godric was 14, his home, which was in a small non-magical village, was burned to the ground, and his entire family killed. He was the only one to escape. He spent a fortnight merely roaming the countryside. He said he gave up, and wished for death to come, not knowing how close to death he was. A clan of Muggles from his village had been searching for him. They found Godric, and vowed to kill him, thus finally wiping out all magical people from their region. That was when Slytherin found him. Salazar killed all five men, and saved Godric's life. A life debt formed, as well as a friendship._

_Salazar was 16 and he too was on his own. His family was forced from their home by fellow wizards after the Slytherins burned a Muggle village to the ground, because four Muggles from the village killed Salazar's youngest brother. The other wizards in their area were afraid of exposure, and retaliation, so they told the Slytherin family to flee or face death. His entire family left to go back to Portugal, from where they originally came. Salazar refused to leave the only home he had ever known._

_During their travels, they came upon a young dark wizard that they later learned was from the Darian clan. That was when they first learned of the magical land, where the Darians lived. Salazar befriended this young man, and asked him to join in their journeys. Godric didn't like the man, or his beliefs, so Salazar and Godric parted company._

_Rowena said, "Because Godric knew the Darians were dark and evil."_

_Helga admitted that was true. She said that this young Darian used Slytherin's knowledge of ancient languages and text to decipher runes that were used for a ceremony to bring back the dead. Unlike creating a Horcrux, which could preserve your soul, but not your body, this spell, along with submersion in an underground spring, which had magical properties, and was in the Darian's castle, could preserve a person's body. Salazar agreed to share his knowledge of creating Horcruxes, if the Darian would share this spring and its magical properties. Salazar felt the two things went hand in hand, for what good was bringing a body back to life, if it no longer contained the soul._

_The youngest Darian lied to Salazar, used him to decipher the runes, used his knowledge of Horcruxes, and then, after dueling, and using many dark and unforgivable curses on him, was going to kill him. Salazar once told Godric that he wished for death that night. However, he did not die, for Godric returned, killed the Darian, and rescued Salazar. His life debt, returned, and their friendship mended._

_Godric told Helga that during the next few years of their friendship, Salazar was consumed with hate; hate for this one Darian, hate for Muggles, and even hate for his own family for leaving and not staying to fight for their domination over Muggles. He also told Godric that they should take over the ancient land where the Darians lived, if they could locate it, because it was protected against Muggles, and was the home of ancient magic. _

_He never told Godric that he coveted this area for his own reasons. Godric told Salazar of his plans for a school and he told Salazar that this land would be the perfect place for that school. He convinced Salazar to join him in the quest for the land, but not for evil purposes, for the greater good of all wizards. _

_That was before they meet Helga, and before they found Ravenclaw. Now, all of their dreams for a school for magical children, where they could be safe, and learn without fear, were coming true. Helga told Rowena that she could not jeopardize all of that the founders worked and fought for, because she was with child, and Rowena agreed. _

_She told her that she would go to her parents, and stay until she had the child. "Dear Ravenclaw, I do not know if I can live without my child, however. You said you would raise the child as your own. Would you still be able to do that?"_

"_Yes, we will tell the others that I found the child. I will raise the child, and love it, and you would always be there for it. What is our plan?" Rowena asked._

"_First, we must tell Godric. Second, we must both leave. Is this amendable to you?" Helga asked._

"_I love you more than I could love a sister. You and Godric are the only family I have. You are my friend, my confidant, and I would give my life for you. We will both leave in the morning," Rowena said. "I shall go talk to Godric myself, and tell him everything." Rowena left Helga alone. Helga sat on her bed and cried._

_Salazar saw Rowena leaving Helga's room for the second time that day. He knew in his heart that Helga was leaving him. He knew he told her to go to her parents, for a rest, but he felt that he was losing her for good. He went to her chambers, and found her crying. He lifted her from her bed and held her close. "Tell me your secrets, my love. Why do you cry?"_

"_I have to go away, for perhaps a long time," she said._

"_No, go away for a rest, but come back soon," he commanded._

"_I shall come back, but not for a while. I need you not to ask me questions. I leave tomorrow," she said._

"_Before you leave, I need you to agree to a binding ceremony," he said._

"_Why? I promise to return, is that not enough?" she asked._

"_No, it is not. I trust you, but no one else," he said. He did want the binding ceremony, but he had other plans as well. He was so close to losing her before, he knew he could never lose her again._

"_Rowena is coming with me. She is telling Godric now. You know she would not leave him forever, so trust that I will return as well," she said, leaving his arms. He went to stand by the window. She walked over to her dresser, opened the top drawer, and handed him a locket. She said, "Godric had these made. One for us, and one for him and Rowena. They contain our portraits. I shall wear it every day that we are apart, so that you are always close to my heart." He fingered the golden locket, and then placed it over her head, letting it rest over her heart._

_He came up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her neck. He said, "If you love me as you claim, you will provide me with this one declaration of your love."_

_She turned in his arms and kissed him. She pledged she would do whatever he asked._

Hermione dropped her brush, and stared at her reflection. For the briefest moment, it was not her own reflection looking back at her. She inhaled a sharp intake of breath, and moved away from the mirror. When she looked back, it was once again her own face staring back at her. Draco knocked on the bathroom door and she was so startled that she screamed.

He opened the door and rushed in the room. He grabbed her shoulders and said, "What's wrong?"

No, she would not ruin Christmas for him. She would not share this memory, not yet. "I was daydreaming and the knocking on the door scared me," she lied.

He bent down and picked up her brush. He handed it to her. He thought she looked scared, but a knock on a door would not scare her as much as her eyes reflected. He said, "What's really wrong?"

She put her brush down and hugged him tight around the waist. "Nothing. Let's go get started with our Christmas plans." She looked up at him and said, "I bet my father would love to learn some of your versions of Christmas songs."

"I'm sure," he smiled. He grabbed her hand and led her downstairs, his smile vanishing when she was no longer looking at him.

City sidewalks, Busy Sidewalks, Dressed in Holiday Style:

Draco was holding Hermione's hand. They were in a large Muggle Mall, and he was slightly uncomfortable. He wasn't used to shopping anywhere Muggle, let alone at a mall with so many people around. They entered a large store, and split up, with Hermione's mum going one way, Don Boot another, and Draco, Mr. Granger and Hermione heading toward the perfume counter.

Hermione was trying on different perfumes at the counter, trying to help her dad pick one out for her mum. Her dad would smell one on her wrist, shake his head no, smell another, and shake his head again. She said, "Dad, after a while, they all smell the same. Just get her favourite."

"I always get her that. I want something new. Draco, come here," Mr. Granger said. Draco was slightly confused. Hermione's dad hardly ever spoke to him. Her mum talked to him all the time, but her dad, hardly ever. He walked up to the counter.

"Smell Hermione," her dad said.

What? Draco looked confused. Hermione stuck her wrist under his nose. He took a hold of her wrist, and smelled deeply. "I don't like it," he admitted.

"Smell this one," Hermione said, showing him her other wrist.

"That one, I like," he confessed. He smelled again, "It's really nice." Hermione smiled. That was her favourite, too. Her dad took that perfume, and handed it to the salesclerk. She wrapped it for him, and handed it back.

"I need to find your mum. She's probably buying me power tools again. When will she ever learn that I'm just not handy? You kids meet up with us at the food court in another hour," Mr. Granger said.

Draco turned to Hermione and said, "What the hell is a food court?" Hermione laughed. She grabbed his sleeve and went over to the jewelry counter.

She pointed to a watch and said, "Do you like that watch?"

"Yes, it's nice, but it also cost 250 pounds, and I highly doubt you have that much money," he said.

"I have plenty of money," she said back.

"You can't buy me something that expensive," he reprimanded.

"I'll buy you whatever I want," she said, walking around to the other side of the counter. She saw Don walking up to them. He seemed totally at ease in the hustle and bustle of the mall. He leaned over the counter next to her and pointed at a bracelet.

"Do you think my mother would like that?" he asked. The bracelet had sapphires and diamonds, and cost a lot of money.

"I don't know your mum, but I like it," Hermione said. He smiled and asked to see the bracelet. The salesclerk, a pretty, young girl, was flirting shamelessly with the good-looking man. Hermione almost felt sorry for her. Don was handling it well, flirting right back. She was beginning to wonder if he lied to her when he said he was gay.

Draco walked up to them and whispered in her ear, "Don has an admirer."

"I know, you love him, but that girl seems to like him as well," Hermione joked.

"I meant the girl, you little witch," he said, kissing her neck as his hands went around her waist. Suddenly, something behind the counter caught his eye. He said, "Run along, Granger, and let me be for a while. I need to do my own shopping."

"Do you have Muggle money?" she asked quietly.

"I will steal what I can't afford to buy," he joked, "remember, I'm a bad boy." She glared at him, but he turned her around by the shoulders and said, "Go buy me some power tools," and he pushed her away.

She gave him a weird look and said, "Do you even know what a power tool is?"

"No, but if your mum buys them for your dad, I am sure I will like them," he said, sincerely. She laughed. She was going to go buy him an electric screwdriver as a joke. She walked to the escalator and waved goodbye.

Don walked up to Draco as he asked to see a locket. He was going to get the locket, and have a picture of him and her put in it. He would even have it inscribed. Don asked, "Where did Hermione go?"

"To buy me some power tools," Draco said, distracted.

"Do you know what power tools are?" Don laughed.

Draco looked perturbed and said, "Why does everyone keep asking that? Of course I do."

"What are they?" he said.

"Tools that are very powerful," Draco said, with a smile.

Don shook his head and laughed. He said, "I will go help her. Come up to the fifth floor when you are done here." Don took the escalator to the fifth floor. Hermione was just coming from the 'tool department'. Don laughed and said, "What did you get him?"

Hermione opened her bag and inside was a drill and an electric screwdriver. He laughed. He said, "Don't tell him what they do. Let him open them and we'll have fun making fun of him." She smiled. He said, "I think I'll take these things to the men's room with me, and shrink them down where no one will see. Wait here for me," and he took her packages and walked over to one of the restrooms. She waited for him by the escalator.

She stood at the top of the stairs, watching all the people standing still, but moving, up the escalator. Draco had never been on an escalator. It would be fun to watch him maneuver these moving stairs, which were so different from the moving stairs at Hogwarts. She saw his blond head in the crowd on the escalator, down near the bottom. He did not yet see her. She moved her head to the left, then the right, and then waved at him, so he would see her. He looked up, but suddenly, it wasn't Draco. It was Slytherin. She shut her eyes, and opened them quickly. She imagined it. It was Draco. He saw her, and she looked upset. He tried to get past the people on the moving stairs, but it was too crowded. He called her name, as he saw her run away from the top of the stairs.

Once on the landing, he looked to his left and to his right, and didn't see her. Don walked up to him and said, "I left Hermione right here to wait for you."

"Yes, I saw her, but she looked upset and disappeared," Draco said. Both men started looking around for her. She came walking out of the woman's room. "Where did you go so quickly?" Draco asked.

"I needed to splash some water on my face," she said. "Let's go meet my parents." She grabbed Draco's hand with one of hers, and when she reached Don, she grabbed his hand with her other. They walked on the down escalator, heading for the food court, all three, hand in hand.

She continued holding both their hands, all the way through the crowds, heading toward the food court. Don misinterpreted her actions. He said, "Hermione, I'm not going to get lost, you can let go."

Draco looked over at Don and said, "That's not it." He stopped walking, which caused her to stumble. Don put his hand under her arm to steady her. "What's wrong, Granger?" Draco asked.

"I saw him," she said softly. With the sounds of the crowds, and the Christmas music playing overhead, Draco couldn't hear her. "What?"

"I saw him," she repeated, more urgent.

Don said, "Who?"

"Slytherin," she said.

"Hermione, you couldn't have. You imagined you did," Draco said, but he caught Don's worried look.

"I know that, but still, it scared me," she said. Draco took her hand again, and Don took the other. They would both protect her, even from her own imagination. They walked to the food court, and sat at a table, to wait for her parents.

"Do you see what I see?"

Dr. Granger and Don went up to get the food. Hermione was distracted, so she didn't notice when her mum put a tray of Mexican food in front of her. She nibbled on the food, staring at a large fountain near where they sat.

"Hermione, take your coat off, aren't you warm?" her mum asked her.

Hermione didn't answer. She merely continued to stare at the fountain.

Dr. Granger saw his daughter staring and reached in his pocket for a coin. He said, "Hermione, here sweetheart, its tradition." She looked up at him, confused for a moment, and then she realized what he meant. She reached over for the coin. Every year, at Christmas, they would come to this mall, he always gave her a coin to throw in the fountain, and she would make her Christmas wish. She stood up and walked over to the fountain.

"What is she doing?" Draco asked.

Her mother said, "Making her Christmas wish."

Hermione stood by the side of the fountain, and looked at all the shimmering coins lying in the bottom. She started to throw hers in, when she saw something.

_It was the middle of the night, after 2:00 am, and Helga found Salazar down in his chambers. She said, "Rowena and I are going to disapparate in the early morning, shortly after dawn. I came to tell you goodbye and to tell you that I will miss you." She came and hugged him tight. _

_He hugged her back and said, "Why is she going with you, again?"_

_She didn't know what to say, so she just said, "So I won't be lonely."_

"_Do you have time for the binding ceremony?" he asked._

"_I suppose. I've never seen one before, what does it entail?" she asked, weary._

_He took her to a small room off his chambers, and they traveled down a set of stairs, which she didn't even know existed. They entered a little antechamber, and he lit the lanterns on the walls. There was a little underground spring, which led to a grate, and the water flowed under the grate. She was fascinated. "What is all of this?"_

"_Remember the story I told you about what the youngest Darian told me? This is the underground chamber and the spring with the magical properties," he said._

_She walked up to the edge of the spring, and said, "I thought that was a myth."_

"_No, it's real," he said. He walked over to the smooth black wall and said an incantation she had never heard before. A door suddenly appeared. She was in awe. He took her hand and led her in the secret chamber. _

_There was a stone altar, and runes written on all the walls. He said, "Give me your hand." She did, without question. He took a basin, which had a small amount of water in it. He took a sharp dagger, and without warning, he pierced her hand. She cried out in shock. He turned her hand upside down, until some of her blood dripped in the basin. He took his wand, healed her hand, and kissed her open palm. He did the same with his hand, and healed it when he was done. He put his wand to the basin, and said a spell. The water within turned from red to blue. He smiled._

"_What happened?" she asked._

"_Your blood is pure, as pure as mine," he said._

"_What?" she asked, with anger._

"_This was the ritual to see if you were pure. If you were not as pure as me, the water would have stayed red," he explained._

_She stepped back in horror. "This wasn't part of the binding ceremony?" she asked._

"_Do not be angry, my love. I had to be sure you were a pureblood, before I did the binding ceremony. Once we are bound by the ceremony, we can never part, so you see why I had to be sure, first."_

_She shook her head. She was confused. She knew her blood was not pure, but more than that, she was confused as to why it mattered to him._

"_You would not marry me if my blood was not pure?" she asked._

_He looked at her and said, "It no longer matters, for it is. I love you and we shall be married when you return."_

_She stepped away from him, and said, "Release me from this room. I want to leave." She now knew her decision to leave was the right one._

_He was confused now. He walked up to her and turned her around. He said, "No, we must do the binding ceremony, and then, I will create your Horcrux."_

_She opened her eyes wide and shouted, "NO!"_

"_Yes, it must be. I have found a way, so you will not have to take a life. I have already taken care of that part. We will submerge you in the waters of the spring, and when your life is almost past, I will be able to extract a part of your soul. I already have the vessel ready. I have tried this already, and I know it works," he said, desperately._

"_You tried it on whom?" she asked. What kind of monster was this, whom she loved?_

"_That is inconsequential," he stated. "Don't you want to assure that you never die?"_

"_No, I don't. Please, isn't it enough that we have one lifetime together. I don't want to split my soul," she said, horror struck._

_He frowned. He said, "I don't want to distress you. Fine, go to your parents, and we won't discuss this any more."_

"_You promise?" she asked._

"_Yes," he lied. He held her close and stroked her hair. "But come back to me, Helga. If you do not, I will come to look for you."_

_She nodded. He opened the secret chamber, and they walked back out to the antechamber. Suddenly, he picked her up and threw her in the water of the spring! Her heavy robes weighed her down. She could not swim, and she was sinking. She grabbed for the side of the spring, but he uncurled her fingers from the edge. He said, "Don't be afraid. I won't let you die."_

Hermione stood looking in the water, with the coin in her hand. She suddenly couldn't breath. She dropped the coin and ran toward the exit of the mall, weaving in and out of people. She needed air! She couldn't breath!

Draco took off like a bat out of hell, after her, with Don right behind.


	22. Part XXII

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XXII:**

Winter Wonderland:

Hermione ran out among all the parked cars. She did not even know where she was going. When Draco ran out of the large mall, the cold air immediately hit his face, stinging his skin. It was raining, and the rain was causing ice to form on the sidewalks. He almost fell when his feet hit the concrete. Don said, "Where did she go? Do you see her?"

Draco looked around frantically, and then saw her on the other side of the road, heading up a hill. He pointed at her and then ran toward her retreating figure.

With Don close behind, Draco ran across the car lot, toward the roadway. There were so many cars passing by, that he was losing patience, for he could not cross. She had already disappeared over the top of the hill. He was about ready to apparate, when Don took his sleeve, and just started running, causing several cars to hit each other to avoid hitting the men.

They ran up the slippery slope of the hill, and when they reached the top, they saw that the other side led to a small ravine of water, a very large drainage ditch, which was covered in ice. Draco yelled, "HERMIONE!" She did not even turn around. She stood at the edge of the water, and then fell in, seemingly without thought. As Draco ran down the hill, he slid, and as he was sliding, he watched her fall as if in slow motion. Her arms stayed at her sides, and she gracefully toppled over, resembling a leaf when it falls off a tree. Draco yelled, "NO!" Don was sliding down the hill right beside him. They both stood when they could, and ran up to the side of the water. The water was rapid, and the current was swift. They both anxiously looked for her, among the swirling water and the blocks of ice.

Soon, Don pointed and said, "Her red coat!" He did not think twice, he jumped in the water, and reached for the coat. It was just her coat. She was not inside it. He splashed back to the shore, dragging her coat. Draco was running down the edge of the water, with the direction of the current. Don came up behind him. They both called her name.

They ran further still, and Draco saw her. She was lying on the other side of the waterway, lying on her side. He did not care if Muggles saw him, he apparated to her side. Don followed. Draco bent down to pick her up. She was ice cold, sopping wet, and shivering. He picked her up and said to Don, "Help her, please."

Don touched her cheek. He said, "She's fine, just cold. Take her back to the house, and get her warm. I will go and find her parents and I will make up an excuse. I will tell them that you both went home because Hermione was feeling sick. I'll come back when I can." Don quickly dried all their clothes with a drying spell, and started back up the hill, as Draco, holding Hermione in his arms, disapparated to her parents' guest bedroom.

He stripped her of her clothing, down to her underwear, even though Don had dried her clothes. He put her under the covers. He ran to the other guestroom, the one Don was staying in, and pulled those covers off that bed, and ran back in the room, and threw those over her as well. Her teeth were chattering, and she said, "I'm so cold."

He stripped off his clothing, down to his boxers, and climbed in beside her. Her hands went to his chest, and they felt like pure ice. He shivered at her touch. He pulled her almost on top of him and said, "What the hell happened back there, Hermione?"

She closed her eyes. She could not even explain it. One moment she was by the fountain, the next moment, another one of Helga's memories came rushing to her, and then she found she could not breathe. She remembered running outside, to get some air, but that was all she remembered. She was not aware of running through the car lot, she was not aware of running across the busy intersection, and she was not aware of falling in the water. She did not remember anything until Draco pulled her into his arms, then all the memories, both hers and Helga's came crashing down on her.

She told him all of this, while he stroked her hair. He thought once they left Hogwarts, the excavation site, and Paul Boot, that maybe all of this would end. Nick Boot was right; he said once the memories started, they might not be able to stop them. He had no words of comfort for her. He could not reassure her. All he could do was hold on to her tight, keep her safe within the confines of his arms, and in that moment in time, just be with her. He could do nothing else.

He heard the front door. He sat up and said, "Your parents must be back."

She sat up and said, "Oh goodness, they must be so worried."

"Don was going to tell them that you felt sick and I brought you home. Stay in bed." Draco stood up and quickly dressed.

Hermione's mum opened the bedroom door and rushed to her daughter as Draco was putting on his boots.

"Hermione, what happened? Is it an upset stomach?" Her mum felt her forehead. Her father rushed in as well.

"What is it sweet pea? It couldn't be something you ate, because you didn't eat anything," her father added.

She said, "It's nothing. Just a bad headache," she said, hating to lie to them. Hermione's mum kissed her head and shooed everyone out of the room, and went to shut the door. Hermione did not want to be alone. She looked at Draco as he walked out, and he caught her eye.

He said, "I'll be right back," as he left the room.

"Draco," Mrs. Granger said, "Why don't you and Don go with Hermione's dad to get the Christmas tree."

Draco did not want to leave Hermione, but her mum was walking them down the stairs and shooing them out the front door. "When you men get back, she will be right as rain, I am sure. We will decorate the tree, and make some Christmas cookies later. Go on, now." She ushered them outside, and shut the door. She tiptoed back upstairs. She opened the door to the guestroom slightly, and heard Hermione crying.

"What's really wrong, Hermione?" her mum asked, "And please, don't feel like you have to spare me anything. Just tell me outright."

Hermione sat up and walked over to the dresser. She pulled out a comfortable set of sweats, and pulled them on. She sat back on the bed and said, "It's a long story, do you have a while?"

"All the time in the world," her mum said. Hermione told her everything that happened from that summer until that afternoon, not sparing one detail. Her mother was visibly upset.

"How dare you keep all of this from us," she said. "We have a right to know what's going on with our only child. You underestimate how strong we are. We know there is a lot that goes on in your world that we do not understand, but that does not mean you should be guarded with us, and hide things this important from us. Do you think when Mrs. Boot arrives to talk to you, it will shed some light on what's happening?"

"I hope so, Mum," Hermione said, crawling over to where her mum sat on the end of the bed. She put her head in her mum's lap. Her mum stroked her hair, and started to sing her a Christmas carol. She sang 'Coventry Carole' to her. Draco and the others arrived, as they heard Mrs. Granger's sweet lilting soprano waft through the house. All three men stopped inside the front door, to listen. Then they heard Hermione cry. Draco ran up the stairs first. He opened the door, as Mrs. Granger was coming out of the room.

She smiled at Draco and said, "Hermione told me everything. Don't ever keep things from us again, understand?" and she kissed his cheek. "I have a few things to tell my husband."

Draco went back in the room, and shut the door. He walked over to Hermione, sat her back up, and pulled her on his lap.

"You told your mother the truth?" he asked.

"They deserved to know," Hermione said back.

"Then you won't be angry if I tell you that when I was at the Manor, I told my mother everything?" he asked. She smiled her response.

Tinsel and Trains:

All five inhabitants of the Granger's house were decorating the tree. Don used magic to put on the lights, but that was the extent of the magic that was allowed. As Hermione was adding sparkling, silver, tinsel, her dad cursed loudly.

"What, Dad?" Hermione asked, leaning over to watch her father, who was on the floor.

"Draco," he said, ignoring his daughter, "Use your little wand and fix my train tracks. I broke the damn thing."

Draco looked up from where he was decorating the backside of the tree and said, "my little wand?'

"Don't be crude," Hermione said, softly.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Hermione," Draco said quietly back. Then he walked over to Dr. Granger and said, "You want me to use magic to fix your toy train?"

"Yes, if you don't mind," the older man said, without humour.

"By all means," Draco said, smirking at Hermione.

Don walked over to Hermione and whispered, "His wand is pretty small." She openly laughed.

"Oi, wolfie, I won't tell you again, stay away from my woman," Draco said, sitting on the floor and playing with the train set.

Hermione's mum came in with five glasses of eggnog, passing them around. She stood in the middle of the living room, and said, "The tree looks very pretty. Now, Don, are you sure you don't want to invite your family to Christmas Eve?"

"No, Dr. Granger, but thank you," Don said to her mother, drinking his eggnog.

She walked up to Draco, and touched his blond head as he bent over the toy train, and said, "I already invited your mother, and she will be here Christmas Eve.

He looked up, and said, "Thank you, Mum."

Hermione looked shocked and said, "Mum?"

"Your mum told me to call her 'mum', so I've decided to do just that," Draco said, pleased with himself, as he stood up to join Hermione with the finishing touches of the tree.

Hermione's dad, who was placing the train around the tree, said, without looking up, "Well, I would still prefer you call me Dr. or Mr. Granger."

"Yes, sir," Draco said, intimidated. He took Hermione's hand, led her to the loveseat, and said, "Is he joking?"

Hermione said, "I really doubt it. Sorry."

"Who wants to help me make Christmas cookies?" Hermione's mum asked. Hermione and Draco went to the kitchen, as Hermione's dad turned sports on the telly, and Don picked up a newspaper.

"Does Don have a girlfriend he would like to invite?" Mrs. Granger asked Hermione as they entered the kitchen.

"Umm, I don't think so," Hermione stammered. Draco snickered.

"Does he have a boyfriend?" she asked, a little too quickly on the uptake.

Hermione said, "Draco is his only boyfriend, and he will already be here."

"You are never funny. I've said it before," Draco concluded, "and I've also told you how very sorry I feel for you, for you are the only person I know who was born without a funny bone."

"I'm funny, you just don't get my highbrow humour. My wit is too sophisticated for you," Hermione said.

"Sure, that's it," Draco said, reaching for a large bowl for her mum.

Hermione and Draco were making the cookies, as Hermione's mum answered the phone. She came back in and said, "I have to leave. A young patient of mine broke his front tooth in an accident today. I am going to have your dad come with me, in case the little boy needs to have oral surgery, and we need to administer anesthesia. We will be back later. Finish up the cookies." She kissed them both goodbye, and the Grangers left for their emergency.

Don walked in and said, "Do you think you two will be okay, and will try to stay out of trouble for a while. I have somewhere to go, too."

"Pretty cryptic," Hermione intervened.

"Fine, I want to tell my mum and Nick about your visions, okay?" he said. "I will be back shortly. Stay in the house, and don't answer the door to anyone you don't know."

"Is Slytherin going around knocking on doors these days?" Draco asked sarcastically.

"No, apparently he's just shopping in Muggle malls, now just do what I ask, please," Don snapped back. He turned from the kitchen and left.

Hermione said, "Great, now we can use magic, finish these up, clean up the kitchen, and have time to snog a while."

"So you want me to use my little wand?" he asked, with a crooked smile.

"To clean up, or to snog?" she laughed. "I tell you, I am funny," she said to herself. She used 'her little wand', and finished the cookies, as he cleaned up their mess. When the cookies were baking, she grabbed his hand and said, "Follow me."

She went to the tree, and lay down on the floor, under it. He did the same, lying right next to her, their heads touching. She said, "When I was little, I used to lie under the tree, and look at all the multi-coloured lights, and the reflections of the lights on the glass bulbs, and sing Christmas carols to myself. Isn't it pretty?"

He was looking at her, not up at the branches and the lights. He said, "Yes, beautiful," except he meant her.

She turned and looked at him and smiled sweetly. "I love you, Malfoy."

"Not as much as I love you, Granger."

She smiled and looked back up at the tree branches. She said, "What song shall we sing?"

He asked, "Do you know 'Joy to the World, the Purebloods Reign'?"

Christmas Eve:

Christmas Eve finally arrived and the Grangers were perfect hosts. The laid out a wonderful Christmas feast, they had plenty of 'spirits' and eggnog, and each room were decorated beautifully for the Christmas season. After dinner, Don escorted Mrs. Malfoy to the living room, as Dr. Granger escorted Hermione, and Draco escorted Hermione's mum. Mrs. Malfoy said, "The house looks so beautiful. I don't know how you manage with your career, and no outside help." Hermione's mother just smiled.

Draco sat next to Hermione on the window seat and said, "no inside help either, but that's about to change."

Hermione said back, "What do you mean?"

Draco whispered, "I got your parents a house elf for Christmas."

"YOU WHAT?" she shouted. All eyes turned to her.

Draco stood up and said, "See, no concept of humour at all." He walked over and poured himself a drink.

"Get me a scotch, Draco," Dr. Granger demanded.

"Aye, aye, sir," Draco said and saluted. No one but Hermione saw the salute, and she laughed.

She stood up and walked over to the tree. "Here at the Granger's, we open one present on Christmas Eve, and the rest Christmas morning. So, without further ado, let me pass out the presents," Hermione said. She gave one to Mrs. Malfoy, one to Don, one to her mum, her dad, and then she put Draco's on his recently abandoned seat.

"Which one are you opening tonight?" Draco asked.

"You pick one for me," she said.

He bent down and picked up a silver box with a bright green bow. She said, "I wonder who this is from?" She rattled the box. He grinned. "Mum, you go first," Hermione told her mum.

She opened the present from her husband. She smiled and thanked him. Dr. Granger opened his next. It was a book on model trains. It was from Draco. Dr. Granger said, "When did you get this?"

"I popped out the other afternoon, went back to that mall, when you left for that dental emergency," Draco explained. He hoped Dr. Granger liked the book.

"This is marvelous, my boy," he said to Draco. "Thank you."

"Your welcome, Dr. Granger," Draco said, smiling.

"Oh, bloody hell, call me, Dad," he smiled to the younger man. Hermione could scarcely suppress her smile.

Don went next. He opened a present from Hermione. It was a moving photograph, taken of him and all four brothers, right before Terry went back to school. "How did you get this photo?" he asked her.

"Nick sent it to me, do you like it? I hand painted the frame," she said.

He stood and kissed her cheek. He sat back down, clutched the picture to his chest, and took a deep breath, to waylay the emotions that he felt.

Mrs. Malfoy opened hers next. It was a diamond and emerald brooch, very old, and very expensive. "Thank you, darling." Draco smiled at his mother.

"That leaves you, Granger," Draco said.

Hermione smiled and said, "And you."

"You go first," Draco said. Hermione opened the silver box, and took off the green ribbon. Draco took it from her hands and tied it around her hair. She smiled and opened the box. Within was a beautiful white gold locket, small and delicate, on a long chain, inscribed with their initials. She opened it and there was a picture of her on one side and one of him on the other. She was very touched. The first thing that popped in her head was the Slytherin/Hufflepuff locket. She bit her lip, apprehensive about the memory.

"What? Don't you like it? I can get you something else," he stated, concerned. Not wanting to cause a scene in front of their company, she smiled and hugged him. "Do you want me to put it on you?" he asked.

"No, not right now," she said softly. He thought she was unhappy. He thought he did something wrong. He shouldn't have gotten her something that would remind her anything of Helga and Salazar, but this locket, though different in size, colour, and design, and very different than the antique locket he gave her last summer, must still remind her of it, all the same.

He kissed her, took the locket from her hand, and put it in the box. He said, so only she could hear, "I understand. It's fine." He closed the box lid.

She felt terrible. She took the box, opened it, and put the locket over her head. She said, "I really do love it, thank you. Open yours."

He opened the rather large package. He threw the paper on the floor, and turned the box over a few times, trying to figure out what it was. Don laughed so hard, he held his side, and even the Grangers laughed at his bewilderment. Hermione put her hand over her mouth, to hide her smile. Only Draco's mother and he looked utterly confused.

He read the side of the box and said, "What the hell is a drill?"

Later that night, Draco kissed his mother goodbye. "Are you sure you won't spend the night?"

"I am just mending my relationship with my sister Andy, and I really want to be with her and little Teddy tomorrow. Will I see you before you go back to Hogwarts?" she asked.

"I'll try to come before New Years," he said, kissing her once more, and then watching as she apparated away.

He walked into the living room. Hermione's mum was playing the piano. Hermione began to sing. She had the sweetest voice. It was a pitch lower than her mother's high soprano, but just as expressive and melodic. She was singing a Muggle Christmas song. The song was about being home for Christmas. It was a very pretty song, being sung by a very pretty girl. She turned and looked right at him throughout the remainder of the song.

When she was finished, Draco came up to her and put his arms around her. "Happy Christmas, Granger," he said, kissing her lips sweetly. "I liked your song."

"Nothing about Muggles and roasted fires, though," she said in jest.

"No, but a beautiful sentiment, just the same," he said, smiling. "I feel like I am finally home for Christmas, because I am with you."

She smiled and put her head on his shoulder. Her mum and dad started singing another song, oblivious to the happy pair. Hermione took Draco's hand and led him to the hall. She said, "I really do love my present. It just caught me off guard, because I saw in Helga's memory that she had her locket, and then that is what you gave me. It was just a coincidence, I know."

"I really don't mind getting you something else," he said, picking the locket up off her chest, and examining it closely.

"No, I love it, and I will wear it everyday," she said. She reached up to his neck, and took the necklace that he wore everyday out from underneath his shirt. "You wear the one I got you two Christmases ago everyday."

"I sometimes forget I even have it on, it's like a part of me," he said, tucking the chain back under his shirt.

Don walked in the hallway and said, "Hermione, I have a letter for you from Nick. He told me to give it to you on Christmas Eve, so here." He handed her a small beige envelope. She opened it, while Draco and Don stood by and watched. There was a letter inside, and on the outside of the folded parchment were the words, "For Hermione's eyes only."

She said, "Excuse me, gentlemen," and she walked up the stairs, and midway up she stopped and sat down directly on the steps. She leaned against the wall, and opened the parchment.

_Dearest Hermione,_

_I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. I want you to know that Don told me your latest vision. I had the same vision. I actually had it that day you were in the hospital wing, after Paul attacked you, but I told you that I did not see anything. I am sorry for lying. I just wanted to protect you. I knew you would eventually remember on your own._

_I think we are very close to discovering the truth. I will explain more when my mother and I come to see you on the 28__th__. Keep your chin up. Don and Draco will watch out for you._

_One more thing, there is a box for you under the tree from Paul and I. It is not really a Christmas gift. I had to wrap it and told Don that it was a present, because that was the only way that I could get it to you. It's Salazar and Helga's locket. Draco gave it to us, but I am giving it back to you. I found out there is something interesting about it. I think it will help you remember your dreams. Open the locket, put it around your neck, and say the spell, 'Dolcet Rosmarinus', and so much more will be revealed to you. Do this only in private. Trust me. _

_Love, Nick_

"What did Nick have to say?" Draco asked, while standing in the hallway, looking up at Hermione as she sat on the stairs.

"Just that he's sad he's not with us for Christmas, and for me to keep my chin up," Hermione said, not revealing the contents of the note.

Later that night, after everyone was in bed, Hermione decided to go open Nick's 'present'. She moved Draco's arm from around her waist, and put on her robe. She tiptoed downstairs, and sat under the tree. The living room was dark, except for the twinkling colourful lights coming from the tree. She folded her legs under her and opened the small box. Inside was the locket. She opened the locket, as Nick suggested. She put the golden locket around her neck and whispered the words, "Dolcet Rosmarinus".

Suddenly, there was a loud bang, which woke all the residents of the house. Draco was so startled; he did not even notice Hermione was missing at first. He ran out to the hall, just as he saw Don running downstairs. He immediately thought, 'Hermione!' Draco had just reached the stairs, and through the banisters, he saw Hermione in the living room, surrounded by a bright light, and suspended in air. Don was right in front of him. They both saw another bright, blinding light, which knocked both men over. They heard Hermione scream. They ran to the living room, and Hermione had disappeared.


	23. Part XXIII

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XXIII:**

Hermione in Wonderland:

Hermione felt like Alice, when she fell through the looking glass. She was sitting in her parent's house, by the Christmas tree, and she had just put on Helga's locket, when she was suddenly transported to a different place. Where was this place? WHAT was this place? Hermione knew she should feel afraid, but instead, she felt amazingly calm. She stood up and walked around. Everything around her was black, void of all light. She could see her own hand, so she wasn't blind, yet there was nothing else to see. No light, no shape, no form; where was she?

She continued to walk around, although no matter where she walked, the scenery remained the same, black. She finally said, "Where am I?"

"In your own mind," said a voice. She looked to her left, and to her right.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm whoever you want me to be," the voice said. The voice didn't sound familiar, but it didn't sound foreign, either.

"What do you mean by 'whomever I want you to be'?" Hermione asked, slightly aggravated.

"Tell me who you would like to speak with right now," the voice said.

"Frankly, I would like to speak to Nick Boot, to give him a piece of my mind!" she said; now more annoyed than anything else. She was fuming.

Nick Boot appeared in front of her, dressed as he was the last time she saw him.

"Nick?" she asked.

"Not really. I am still just a figment of your imagination. Consider me your own personal tour guide to your mind," the phantom Nick said.

"Fine, tour guide, just don't expect a tip after the tour," Hermione spat. She said, "So, are you going to tell me what's going on here?"

"Sure, Hermione. We are in your mind, and we are going to sort through your memories. Make things easier for you to recall events and things from your past, as well as Helga's past."

"Will you answer any questions that I might have?" she asked.

"If I can," he said.

"First, are you sure I'm not dead?" she asked.

He laughed and said, "Still very much alive."

"Will I be able to get back? Back home?" she inquired.

"Just click your heels together three times, and say, 'there's no place like home'," he told her.

"Really?" she asked, confused.

"No, not really. See, you do have a good sense of humour, no matter what Draco says. To get back to reality, you just have to open the locket back up, and say the exact same incantation," he said.

"Where is my body right now? Is it still in the living room?" she asked.

"You are a smart girl. That's a good question. The answer is no. Your body and mind are both on a different 'plane' right now. Some might call it a different dimension. You are somewhere between the living world, and the world of the dead, but nothing morbid or anything, so don't be afraid."

"Easy for you to say," she said.

"No, easy for you to say, since I am you," he lauded. "Now, what memory do you wish to uncover first?"

"Okay, something has been bothering me. When Slytherin made Helga do the blood purification ceremony, how did the water turn blue, if she was not a pureblood?"

"I don't know," Nick said.

"You said you would answer my questions," she complained.

"I can't answer what I don't know. I only know what you know, but cannot remember, or what Helga knew. Helga has not revealed that to you yet, so I cannot answer that question. Ask another," Nick said, sitting down in the black space. Hermione went to sit next to him.

"Did Helga die in the underground spring?" she asked.

"No, she did not, but you should know that," he seemed to reprimand her.

"Did Salazar ever find out she was pregnant?" asked Hermione.

"Don't be angry, but I don't know," he said.

"Damn you!" Hermione stood up and started to walk away, only to come back. "What do you know?"

"Listen, Helga hasn't revealed that to you yet, either. I'm sorry. Ask another," he prodded.

"I don't think so," she said, stubbornly, sitting back down.

"Come on, I know you want to," he said wirily.

"There's nothing else to ask yet. Unless I undercover more memories," Hermione complained.

"If you do, and you need to ask questions, then come back and see me, I'll be here, inside your head," he said, standing and turning to leave.

"Wait!" Hermione shouted, running up to 'Nick'. "Am I somehow related to Helga? Some ancestor?"

"Yes, you are a very important one."

"From her Muggle side?" Hermione asked.

"No," he said.

"How can that be?" she asked. "I am Muggle born. There are not any magical people in my family, nor have there ever been."

"Really?" Nick asked, "So, you can trace your family tree back a thousand years, I suppose, and prove that theory?"

"No, of course not," she said.

"Then don't doubt what you know must be true, and remember, I only know the things that have been revealed to me," Nick said.

"Helga revealed this to you?" she asked timidly.

"No silly," Nick smiled, "She revealed it to you. Haven't you been listening to a word I said? And you are supposed to be so smart. Is there anything else?"

"Not right now, but as long as I can come back when I do start to remember more, then I guess I should get back," Hermione decided.

"Yes, you should. I think I hear Draco and Don calling your name. By the way, when you get back, only a few moments will have past. Do not tell them about the locket, not yet. You need to keep it, for it connects you to her," Nick said.

"What shall I say?" she asked.

"That's your problem, but if you tell them about the locket, you know Draco will take it from you. Goodbye and I'll be waiting for you to return." Nick walked away. Hermione opened the locket, and whispered the incantation that would take her back home.

Ten Seconds Later, a World Apart:

As Draco and Don were running down the stairs, they were both knocked over by a blinding, white light. When they picked themselves up off the stairs, they continued to the living room as fast as they could. Draco shouted, "HERMIONE!"

"She was just here!" Draco shouted.

"I know, I saw her, too!" Don said back, looking around frantically.

Hermione's parents came running down the stairs, "What's happening?" her mother said, with fear, "Where is Hermione?"

"We don't know!" Draco yelled. He said to Don, "Do something!"

"What would you have me do?" Don shouted back.

Suddenly, the same bright, blinding white light, which exploded around them the first time, reappeared, knocking all four to the floor. Hermione's dad threw his body over her mum. The light lasted only a second. When they were all able to open their eyes, Hermione was back in the living room, lying on the floor, eyes shut.

Draco rushed to her and shook her shoulders. Her eyes flashed open and she sat up and said, "I'm fine! Nothing happened!" She remembered everything that had just happened, and she didn't want to worry anyone.

"NOTHING HAPPENED?" Draco shouted, "Yes, Granger, something damn well did happen! We were all knocked over by the brightest light I've ever seen, you were suspended in air, you disappeared for a solid ten seconds, and then you reappeared with the same blast of light!"

"I disappeared?" she asked. She looked at all four of the others. They were also all on the floor, along with her. She crawled over to her mum and dad, and asked, "Are you both okay?"

"Yes, dammit, but what about you?" her dad asked.

"I'm fine. I don't even know what happened," she lied. It concerned her slightly that she was becoming so adapt at lying.

Don kneeled by her on the floor, as Draco stood up and paced around the room. "What do you last remember?" he asked.

She hated lying, but she knew that Draco certainly would take the locket from her if she told the truth, and she still needed it. She hadn't yet learned all that she needed to. She said, "I was sitting by the tree, and then I guess I disappeared. I don't know why."

Draco looked over at her, and suddenly noticed a locket around her neck, up against her robe. It wasn't the locket he gave her for Christmas. He rushed up to her and grabbed the golden locket that was around her neck. He recognized it immediately. "Where the hell did you get this? That's not the one I bought you!" He grabbed her shoulders and stood her up. "That's the Slytherin/Hufflepuff locket! How did it get around your neck?"

Hermione had forgotten that they would see the locket. She put her hands up to it and covered it in her fist. "I don't know!" she said.

"You are a terrible liar!" Draco said.

"You should know," she spat, "since you are the king of liars."

"Shut up!" he said.

"What an intelligent response," she baited.

Don spoke, "You both shut up. Hermione, stop trying to pick a fight, and tell us exactly how you came into possession of that locket, although I have an idea, and if what I think is right, than I must commit fratricide, for I will kill my brother, Nick."

Hermione's non-verbal response answered his question for him. Before Draco could rip the locket off her neck, Don did it for him. He walked up to Hermione and pulled if over her head, none too gently. He looked around for the box it came in, picked it up, and said, "That little piece of shite, he used me to give this to you. He also used what I now recognize as a 'hidden memory charm' on the damn thing. Hermione, you will not use this again, not unless one of us is with you. You don't know how dangerous this can be. That charm alone is dangerous, but when used with a powerful magical object such as this locket, well, there's no telling what could happen!"

"Someone tell me what's going on here!" Draco demanded.

Hermione explained what happened. Don explained to them that the hidden memory charm Nick embedded in the locket has many drawbacks. Sometimes, when people revert to their own minds, they don't ever want to come back, and they are stuck between dimensions. Other times, when what they uncover is especially painful, they simple are too traumatized to return. He put the locket back in the box, and said, "I'm taking this up to my room. Don't even think about trying to get it, for I am putting an anti-Hermione charm on it."

"A what?" Hermione asked.

"Just never mind," Don said, climbing the stairs two at a time.

Hermione's mum said, "Well, it's almost 5:00 am. Hermione hasn't woken us up this early on a Christmas morning since she was five years old. I think I will go ahead and fix us all some breakfast."

"I'm getting a shower," her dad added. He looked over at Hermione and Draco and said, "I am this close to adopting Draco over there, and disowning you young lady."

That left just Hermione and Draco. Draco said, "Was it worth it?"

"Not really, for I didn't really find out any more than I already knew," she admitted.

"I don't mean that! I meant, was it worth lying to me? What will it take you to stop all the deceptions and lies? What will it take for you to trust me? To trust Don? Why should we bust our backsides trying to save yours, if you don't even care? If you are just going to go behind our backs, and lie to us?" He seemed so defeated. She walked up to him, and put her hand on his arm.

"I'm sorry," she almost whined.

"That's the thing, Granger. You aren't, and you will do it again. I can't handle much more of this. Maybe you should give my ring back to me again, and this time I should just keep it."

"What?" she asked shocked, "You want to break our engagement over this?"

"Yes, and I mean it. I can't fight for you against him. Tell Slytherin he's won," and with that said, Draco walked up the stairs slowly, not glancing back once.

Hermione stood, all alone, in the living room. She felt so ashamed, for he was right, once again.

She walked up the stairs, and went to their room. She half expected that he had already disapparated away. She knocked on the door anyway, and said, "Draco, please, forgive me. May I come in?"

He opened the door.

Apologies are Empty, Excuses, Useless:

Draco sat back on the bed, hung his head low, and clasped his hands together. Hermione came and sat beside him. She reached over for his hands. He unclasped his hands and took one of hers in one of his. He looked over at her, and she was staring right in his eyes.

"I really am sorry," she said, "I don't want to keep fighting about the same things, and I don't want to lie to you anymore, but don't you see, this is happening to us, so we have to deal with it. We can't run away from our problems, we have to face them head on, and together."

He stood up so suddenly, it scared her. He said, "Is that what you think? Do you honestly think I am trying to run and hide from my problems? Goodness, Granger, what kind of man do you think I am? All I am trying to do is to protect the woman I love." He went and stood by the window. She came up beside him.

There came a knock on the door. Hermione turned around and said, "Come in." Don Boot came in and sat on the bed.

"Am I interrupting?" Don asked.

"Yes," said Draco.

"No," said Hermione at the same time.

"Well, I won't stay long," Don said, "I just wanted to let you know I owled my mum. She's wanted to talk to you tomorrow, instead of waiting three days, and I wrote and told her that would be acceptable to both of you. We need to get some things out in the open, and you shouldn't have to wait any longer. I will go tell your folks. No offense to them, but my mother does not want to talk to you here. She wants you to come to our ancestral home. Will that be okay?"

Hermione looked at Draco for approval. He sat back down on the bed and said, "I don't care one way or another. I may not even be here tomorrow."

Hermione felt so sad. She said, "Well, I'll be there, if that means anything." Don smiled weakly at her and then he walked up to Draco.

Don put one hand on the younger man's shoulder and said, "You have to be there, too. Whether you want to admit it or not, this is a part of both of you. I'm going on down to breakfast." He left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Hermione didn't know what to say to Draco to make everything okay. She said, "Are you really leaving?"

"No," he said, not looking at her.

"Do you want to come down for breakfast?" she asked.

"No."

"Do you want me to bring you something up?"

"No."

"Do you want your ring back?"

He looked at her this time. "No."

"Do you still love me?" she asked, anxiously waiting for the word 'no' and wondering what she would do if the word left his mouth.

He looked back at the floor and said, "Don't be stupid."

That was an "I love you", she thought. She walked up to him and stroked his hair. He hugged her tightly around the waist, his face against her stomach.

"I want you to know that no matter what occurs in this lifetime or the next, I will always love you, Granger."

"I will always love you, too."

He looked up at her and felt ill at ease. He didn't want to be mean to her any longer. He said, "Tell your mum I will be down for breakfast after I shower." She kissed the top of his head, and bounded out the room.

Draco walked toward the bathroom that was off their room, when he decided to go talk to Don first. He needed to apologize for the way he acted. He knocked on Don's door, but didn't receive an answer. He opened the bedroom door, and looked around. Don must have been downstairs. He started to leave the room, when the Hufflepuff locket caught his eye. It was on the desk, no longer in the box. He walked over and picked it up. Under the locket was a letter addressed to Don, from his brother Nick. Draco knew it was wrong, and he knew he shouldn't, but he was who he was, and that wouldn't change, so right or wrong, he opened the letter and read it. It wasn't sealed, anyway.

Draco looked around to make sure no one was around. He went and shut the door, and then opened the piece of parchment.

He read the letter, and after he read it, he was outraged! He took the parchment and tore through the house, yelling, "DON! WHERE ARE YOU, BOOT?"

Don was already at the kitchen table, with Hermione, her mum and her dad. They all looked up when they heard Draco shouting. Draco ran in the kitchen, with Nick's letter in his hand.

Don stood up and said, "What's wrong with you?"

"Explain this!" Draco threw the letter at him. It landed on the table. Don didn't even glance at it. He knew what it was.

"What do you want me to say, besides the fact that you really shouldn't read other people's mail," Don said, caustically.

"What's happening, Draco? What is that letter?" Hermione asked.

"Ask our protector over there, on second thought, come here, Hermione," Draco said, holding out his hand for her. She was sitting next to Don.

"Why?" she asked.

"Just get away from him," Draco said, reaching across the table, and pulling her around to him. He took out his wand. Don held up his hands.

"What's going on, Draco?" Dr. Granger asked.

"Hermione, take your parents and get out of here," Draco said, steadily.

Don smiled, a sincere smile, and said, "Put your wand away. You don't even know what's going on, and I don't know what you think you've read in that letter, but you've misunderstood everything."

Hermione said, "Mum, Dad, please go upstairs, just for a moment." They looked at their daughter, but then left the room without a word. With her parents now out of the kitchen, Hermione took her wand out of her robe. She pointed it at Draco.

"What the hell, Granger!" Draco said.

"Please, just tell me why you are pointing your wand at Don, and if it's a good reason, I will point mine at him, too, but right now, you are scaring me. I am afraid that you might be possessed by Slytherin again."

"That's impossible!" Draco shouted, "Do you want to tell her why that's impossible, Don?"

"Hermione, put your wand down," Don said, sitting back down at the table, totally overwhelmed. "I owe you both an explanation." Hermione lowered her wand, and sat down at the head of the table. Draco remained standing, still pointing his wand directly at Don.


	24. Part XXIV

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XXIV:**

Don's explanation:

"Draco, you have to understand something," Don said. "He's my brother. I love him and I want to protect him."

"Tell her!" Draco shouted.

Hermione looked at Don and said, "Please, Don. I trust you, but right now, I'm worried. Just tell me what Draco is talking about, please."

"Paul is no longer in St. Mungos. My family has him in hiding, and I don't know where, but I suspect that my parents are in on this, and that's why my mother wants you to come to their house, because Paul's probably there, and she doesn't want to leave him," Don said, despairingly.

Draco shouted, "That's probably why she wants us to come there. She wants to expose Hermione to Slytherin, for some kind of sick experiment."

"You know nothing, Draco!" Don said. "My mother wouldn't hurt Hermione or you. I am sorry I did not tell you, but he is my brother, and he is not responsible for what's happening to him, anymore than Hermione is. Nick has been able to control him with the Imperius so far, but he is sure that Salazar is still in there. He feels that he's waiting for something."

"Don," Hermione began, getting up from her chair, and standing beside him, "I just want you to know that I still trust you, however, I can't go to that house, if there is a possibility that Slytherin might get to me. I can't do that to Draco. I have to stop endangering myself. Your mother will have to come here, or we won't be able to see her at all."

Draco finally lowered his wand. Don nodded, and said, "I'm sorry you feel that way, but my mother won't come here. I think you should reconsider, for you need to hear what she has to say, but I will respect your wishes. I'll tell her that you won't be able to come." He stood up and said, "I really wouldn't have let anything happen to you. Do you want me to leave?"

Hermione hugged him around the waist, and said, "No, it's Christmas day. You have to stay."

Don hugged her back, resting his chin on her head. He looked at Draco and said, "Is all forgiven?"

"You are my only male friend, but if you start to lie to me, we can't be friends any longer," Draco said, thoughtfully. "Hermione's safety always has to come first."

"I agree. I have given more than two years of my life to protect you two, and I will not ever lie to you. I really didn't lie this time, I just didn't reveal certain things," Don said, reaching across the table, to see if Draco would shake his hand.

Draco took the offered hand and said, "Fine."

Hermione ran out of the room, to tell her parents everything was fine. As she was re-entering the kitchen, Draco was walking back up the stairs. She called after him and he looked down at her. "Happy Christmas, Draco." She smiled widely. "I really do love you."

"I really do know that, and Happy Christmas, little one," he said from the stairs. She ran up to him, stood two steps higher, and put both hands on his cheeks and looked him directly in the eyes. She understood his worry. She would work very hard to alleviate all his fears and apprehensions. Hermione leaned forward, pressing her lips lightly to his. He said, "Thanks for lowering your wand. I thought you were going to hex me back there."

"I was just being cautious," she warned.

"Thanks for taking my side, and for thinking about what I want for a change," he added, "But, you know what; I think we should go see what Mrs. Boot has to say. I hate to admit it, but I do trust Don, and even Nick for that matter. I feel we will be safe. I want this over with, and the only way it will be over is if we find out what they hell Mrs. Boot knows."

"Happy Christmas, Draco," she said for the second time. That was her way of saying 'thank you' to him. He stared at her many long moments.

He finally said, "I hope so." He stepped away from her and continued back up the stairs.

She watched his retreating figure, and started back down the stairs. Her father was at the bottom of the stairs. "He's a good man."

"Yes, he is," agreed Hermione.

"You need to remember that," he scolded.

"I will, Dad. From now on, I will." She skipped down the stairs, and drew her father in a hug.

A Tree house and a Trap Door:

When Draco finally made his way back downstairs, Hermione was already showered and dressed, having showered in the guest bathroom. Everyone was sitting around the living room. After opening the rest of the presents, Hermione asked Draco if he wanted to go for a walk. He felt like he was going through the motions, and was on the outside looking in. Maybe a walk would do him good. He agreed, and she ran upstairs to collect their winter gear.

They started down the street, holding hands, and Hermione said, "The new house is only a few blocks from the house I grew up. Do you want to see it?" He nodded his response. She guided him to a large brick Georgian style house, with white shutters, and large bushes in the front, by the front stoop.

"Do you miss it?" he asked.

"Yes, I do. I wish my parents hadn't sold it, but things happen for a reason, I always say," she said.

"You always say that? I've never heard you say that," he laughed.

"I say it all the time," she glared. Hermione took his hand and led him through a little wooded area, just north of the house.

"Where are you taking me, somewhere to have your evil way with me?" he gloated.

"Sure, that's where I'm taking you, moron," she said back to him.

"That's not nice, even moron's have feelings," Draco reprimanded. They rounded the little woods, and Hermione pointed to a tree house.

"That's my tree house. My dad built it when I was small. They actually still own this little piece of wooded area. They always thought I would want to build a house on it someday," she explained. She went over to the ladder, which consisted of nothing but boards, unevenly spaced, nail on the trunk of the tree, extending upwards.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked.

"Up to my tree house, so I can have my evil way with you," she said, smiling down at him. She reached the top, and pushed on the trapdoor. She entered the little dark tree house. He was right behind her.

"This is cozy," he said sarcastically, brushing imaginary dirt off his jacket.

"It is cozy," she said back.

"Can we go down now?" he asked.

"I thought we could kiss a little bit first," she said, truthfully. She pushed him over so that he landed hard on his bum.

He said, "Hey!" just as she kneeled in front of him, grabbing his neck, and kissing him slowly with a wet, passionate, opened mouth kiss, drawling him into her passion. He was astonished, or so she thought. She parted from him and said, "Well?"

"I'm going to catch my death of cold up here. Anyway, it is dark, damp, and dusty. The three D's," he said. "In fact, it's dirty, dingy, dank and dumpy as well. Its worse then the three D's, it's the seven D's." He laughed, thinking he was being funny.

"Goodness, you are such a sissy sometimes," Hermione said, slapping his arm. She moved over to open the trap door, so they could leave. She froze where she sat. The trap door was open, admitting the cold, frigid, air. He got up on his knees and put his hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong? Are you afraid to climb back down? Because, I have no intention of carrying you down," he joked. He looked over at her face, which showed no expression, no emotion. He shook her shoulder and said, "What is it, Hermione?"

"I just remembered something else. Something really, really terrible," she said, and then inexplicably, she began to cry. He drew her into his arms.

_Helga tried very hard to climb out of the little spring of water. Salazar was pushing her hands off the sides of the walls. Why was he trying to kill her? She was crying, and she could no longer hold herself up. She started to sink to the bottom. She heard him say, "You will not die, I won't let you die. This is the only way to make your Horcrux. Let me hurry and say the spell, and then I will get you out of the water. Don't worry."_

_He was wrong. She was going to die. She could no longer stay above water. Her chest hurt from holding her breath so long. She felt a burning sensation, and her head felt like it was going to explode. The water had an eerie green light emitting from its depths. Something made her look toward the green underwater light. The light, which was not there when she first entered the pool, went under a metal grate, to an underwater chamber. She swam as best she could, considering she was almost out of oxygen, and her robes were heavy and cumbersome. She saw that the grate did not reach all the way to the bottom. She pulled herself through the grate, and found herself in a larger body of water, in the middle of which was the green light. She pushed herself up toward the surface, and found the pure ecstasy, which was air. She could breathe again! She struggle to the side of the pool, which only had a small space of air. There was a trap door on the top of the pool. She did not think she had the strength to push open the door, and pull her self out of the water. Somehow, she found the fortitude, and did just that. She climbed out the trap door, and fell down on the floor, leaving the trap door open to reveal the water below. She looked around, and knew in her heart that this room, underground as it was, without any windows or candles or lanterns, should be pitch black, yet the light from the pool illuminated the entire room. _

_She reached in the pocket of her robe, and drew out her wand. Thank goodness, she still had her wand. She said a spell, and dried her robes and hair. She moved over to the wall of the chamber. She took several deep breathes, and it was then that she was conscious of someone yelling. The voice she heard screaming was Salazar. He thought she had drowned. Good. Let him think that. He tried to kill her. She could hear him jump in the small spring in the other chamber. As soon as he did, the green light extinguished. She sat silently in the dark, pondering what to do. He was screaming her name, and splashing in the pool. He must not be able to see the space at the bottom of the grate, and he surely did not know about this other chamber. She stayed as quiet as she could, for as long as she could, with her arms hugging her body tight. She could tell he had climbed back out of the pool, and was moaning and crying for her. He thought he killed her. She waited many long moments, and she heard him running up the stone steps. Next, only a few minutes later, she heard Godric's voice. _

_He was shouting and yelling. He jumped in the pool. He yelled, "Well, she couldn't have just disappeared! What did you do to her?" He was looking for her, too. Should she reveal her hiding place? The agony in Salazar's cries were almost enough for her to reveal her secrets, but now, hearing Godric crying as well, was almost more than she could bear. She shut the trap door and began to cry, because she did not know what to do._

Hermione stayed perfectly still until the vision passed. She turned and told Draco what she saw. His only thought was that with each thing she remembered, the more baffling the mystery became.

He said, "We have to tell Don that we both will definitely see his mother tomorrow. Hermione nodded. They climbed down the wooden planks, and went back to the house.

The Prophecy of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger:

Draco, Don, and Hermione apparated to a sprawling, massive, Tudor style home, surrounded by tall and ancient conifer trees, and a high brick wall. Don walked up to the front doors and said, "This is my family's home."

They entered the foyer, and was greeted by a beautiful woman, with long dark hair and midnight blue robes. She smiled warmly, and took Hermione's hand. "I'm Helena Boot," she said. She turned to Draco and took his hand as well. She put Draco's hand in Hermione's and said, "Yes, I can see I was right. You two belong together." She walked toward a set of dark mahogany doors, opened them, to reveal a very large sitting room. A fair-haired man, sitting in a wingback chair near the fire, walked up to them.

"It's nice to see you both again," Mr. Boot said. "I shall take my leave, as none of this concerns me." He turned and left the room.

Don leaned toward Draco and said, "He just means that he's heard it all before."

Nick came bounding in the room, slapping Draco on the arm and then pulling Hermione into a warm embrace. "I'm so glad to see you both!" he said, letting her go.

Draco said, "First things first, and forgive me for being forward, but is Paul here?"

Mrs. Boot said, "He won't be anywhere near you while you are here. He is safely inside a room on the fourth floor, and he is heavily guarded. You must not blame my son, Mr. Malfoy. He didn't want this, you know, and we want him back as soon as we can."

She sat down on the couch. Hermione sat next to her and Draco at the other end. The Boot brothers sat in chairs, near the sofa. Mrs. Boot said, "I want to tell you about the prophecy of Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy."

"When my mother was young, it was revealed to her by her mother that we were a family of seers, direct descendents of Rowena Ravenclaw. My side of the family was also known as record keepers. We keep all the family tree information on all four founders. You see, my grandmother was also a seer, a trait passed down, generation to generation. Thus, my mother was a seer, I am a seer, and so is Nick."

Hermione interrupted, "Two years ago, when Don told us that his father was the current leader of the Brotherhood of the Raven, he said only direct descendents of Ravenclaw could be the leader, and double animagus. Wouldn't that mean the Ravenclaw line comes from him?"

"My children are related to Ravenclaw on both sides. My husband's side is the side that is bound to protect the heirs, and they are descendents of Ravenclaw and even Gryffindor. Remember in your vision, when you said that Ravenclaw promised Helga that she would always protect Helga and her heirs, for all time. Well, that was a promise she kept, and my husband and sons keep to this day," she smiled. "But it's my side that is the record keepers, and also known for their second sight."

"During the first war with Voldemort, I had a vision. More than a vision, it was a prophecy. It came to me clearly, every night, for a week. The prophecy went like this:

"**The Heirs of the four will soon appear, to right the wrongs of the founders.**

**The four houses will soon disappear, to reunite with one another.**

**If they fail to right the wrongs, the school will go asunder,**

**Dissention and hate will fill each heart, and the school will be no longer."**

"Every night I heard the same words in my dreams. I knew that most of the problems during the war came from the division of the houses at Hogwarts. All Death Eaters came from Slytherin House, who were taught from infanthood to hate Muggle borns and Half bloods. All of that hate came from the division of the school, and the four houses."

"Next, I dreamt of another war, one that brought about not only the destruction of the school, but the destruction of our world. I dreamt specifically of you two, and I knew in my heart that you were the two from the prophecy. For my first prophecy to be fulfilled, the second prophecy must happen. There is only one way to stop the destruction of the school, and our world, and that is if the heirs of the founders come together, and bring unity to the school. The only way for this to happen is if the heirs of the other founders find the heir of Helga and Slytherin, the lost heir, and bring him or her down before they get a chance to come to power. Their power will be an evil power. This heir's powers and magic will be stronger than Voldemort's. My prophecy tells me that the true heirs of all four houses must first come together, and then the three can stop the fourth from rising to power. Later, during the second war, is when it was revealed that you two represent two of the founders. The lost heir of Helga and Salazar's child represents the Slytherin founder, and I am not sure who will represent Gryffindor. That has not been revealed."

"Who is this person, the Slytherin heir?" Draco asked, "Are you sure it's not one of us?"

"No," Don said, "Draco, you are directly related to the Ravenclaw line, through your paternal grandmother. Hermione, we believe you are related to the Hufflepuff line. As for the heir of Slytherin, the one who will become stronger than Voldemort, well, my mother doesn't know who that is yet, but she said that you two hold the key to that person's downfall."

"She sees that the evil that came from Voldemort, will be nothing compared to this person, if they discover who they are before we do," Don said.

"How do we discover who and where they are?" Hermione asked.

"By helping finish Helga's and Salazar's unfinished business. Hopefully, that will help lead us to this person, at least, that's what my mother and Nick hopes," Don stated. "It appears that there's no record of what happened to Helga's and Salazar's child. Rowena promised to raise the child, but she also promised always to protect it. We are the record keepers, and yet, there is no record of this child."

"Maybe the child didn't survive," Hermione stated.

Mrs. Boot answered, "I know it did. I have a feeling. Otherwise, I would not have had the vision. We need to find out what happened to this child, and I feel we can only know that if we find out what Salazar and Helga want from you two."

"What do they think they want from us?" Draco asked.

Mrs. Boot answered, "We don't know yet, but we need them to tell us, and soon, for part of the prophecy also said:

"**Carved in stone, before their births, their destinies are intertwined with another's. This destiny cannot be broken. Before the joining of the heirs, they must bring about the downfall of the evilness within the walls, or their lives will forever by forfeited."**

Draco suddenly remembered what the voice in the midst said to him, that night Hermione threw her ring at him. It said, "Don't leave her, and don't let her leave you. You need each other. Your destiny, carved in stone, and written before you were born, cannot be broken. Go to her."

Draco told them all about what he heard that night. Hermione was shocked. Draco asked, "What does that mean?"

Nick spoke this time, "We believe it means that before you two marry, you must find the Slytherin heir, and kill them."

Hermione stood up. "I won't kill anyone! I killed someone two years ago, when I killed Mankin, and I won't do it again!"

"Then this person will come to power, and the destruction we saw with Voldemort will be nothing compared to him or her," Nick said plainly.

"How do we know that?" Draco asked, standing beside Hermione, and stepping slightly in front of her now shaking body.

"It's been foretold. Believe or not, Draco, this will happen," Nick said, standing.

Mrs. Boot stood and walked over to Hermione, "If you could just remember everything that Helga has revealed to you, than maybe we could trace the lineage of her child."

"No," Hermione said. "I won't kill anyone ever again."

Mrs. Boot seemed suddenly angry and she started to walk out of the room. She turned back around and said, "Then the downfall of Hogwarts, and even our world rest on your shoulders, Miss Granger. I hope you can live with that." She left the room.

"Forgive my mother," Don said, standing, "She's always had a flare for the dramatics."

Hermione looked over at Nick and said, "Are you disappointed in me, too?"

He walked over to her and said, "No, but maybe a little bit confused. I thought you wanted to know the truth. It was no accident that Helga revealed her memories to you. It was fate. We need to right the wrongs of the founders. We need to somehow let the piece of soul from Slytherin that was in that cup know that Helga survived beyond that cave. We need to find out if a Horcrux was made for Helga, and if so, we need to re-unite that piece of soul with her. We need to find out what happened to their child. Perhaps Helga and Salazar do not even know. They have a right to know."

Hermione sat down, feeling overwhelmed. She said, "I don't even know how to go about that. This is too much to process."

"Just keep doing what you are doing, and use the locket I gave you," Nick said. Hermione looked at Draco, and then at Don.

"I took that away from her," Don said, "and I have no intention of giving it back. It is too dangerous. She will recover her memories on her own."

Nick looked angry. He slammed out of the room as well. Don was the last family member with Hermione and Draco.

"I'm sorry. This didn't turn out well, did it?" Don said.

"What can we do now?" Draco asked.

"I suppose go back to school and just let things come about naturally. I want to see Paul before we head back. Will you two wait here for me?" Don asked. Draco nodded. Hermione merely sat down in a chair.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked her once they were alone.

"She really didn't tell us much, and I have a feeling she knows more than she is letting on," Hermione said. "How do they know we are heirs of the founders, just because they claim they are the record keepers? Well, show me these so-called records! Why should we take their words for truth? Maybe they want us to destroy someone for their own personal gain."

Draco kneeled beside her chair and gave her a hug. "It will be fine." Inadequate words, he knew, but he had no choice but to say them.

"Do you really think we are the saviours of the school, and possibly of the whole wizard world? That we are the key to finding Slytherin's last known heir?" Hermione asked.

"I just don't know what to think anymore," Draco said honestly. He stood back up and took her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and said again, "It will all be fine."

Upstairs, Mrs. Boot was pacing in her room. She said, "They won't do it, I know. We should have told them everything we knew."

Nick said, "I will go back to Hogwarts. We will figure something out, Mother."

"We need them to confirm our suspicions," Helena Boot stated. "The rest of the prophecy says that the Hufflepuff/Slytherin heir will only be revealed to them, and only they can destroy him."

"I know, Mother. Believe me, I'll take care of everything," Nick said smoothly.

"Just don't tell Don," she reminded. She walked off to her suite. Nick went up to see Don and Paul.

Don was sitting by Paul's bed. "I just don't believe any of it," Paul told Don. "If Slytherin is in me, why can't I feel it? Why can I not remember any of his memories, the way Hermione does with Helga's memories. Why hasn't anything happened since I attacked Hermione?"

"I don't know, Paul," Don answered.

"Also, I keep asking Nick to use Legilimens to help me remember, the way he did with Hermione, and he refuses," Paul said.

"Maybe he's afraid of what he will discover," Don said, although he did not think that was the reason. Surely, Nick and his mother would want to contact Slytherin.

"You would think that both Nick and mother would want to know what Slytherin is up to," Paul reasoned.

Don thought the very same thing.

Nick stood outside Paul's room, and he knew that Don would be thinking just that. Nick walked in the room and said, "Don, you should take Hermione and Draco back now. With your permission, I would like to come back as well."

"I don't want you interfering with Hermione's memories. They will come when they come," Don warned.

"Whatever you say," Nick agreed. Don hugged Paul goodbye and left the room.

Nick turned to Paul and said, "Don't worry; I have a feeling this will be over very soon." He patted his brother's arm, and left the room.

Hermione and Draco saw Don re-enter the room, and they stood to meet him. Don said, "Time to head back. I want you to know, I will support whatever you decide. I will be there for you." He smiled and Hermione knew he felt stressed. It was as if he was going against the wishes of his family. The three disapparated from the front porch, as Nick watched them leave from the upstairs window. He had to get to Hermione somehow. He had to make her remember. This all needed to end. He came up with a brilliant idea. One even Don could not ruin.


	25. Part XXV

all characters belong to JKR

**Part XXV: January:**

Working to Figure Things out the Hard Way:

A low fog hung on the ground. Everything was grey. The skies, the trees, the frozen earth, all grey. It was cold. Not just cold. It was bitter cold. Hermione sat in her classroom, on that bitter cold January afternoon, on her first day back, after classes, mulling over all the events of the last six months. She wrote everything down on a piece of parchment. She started with the cup, for she felt that was where everything started. She wrote down a timeline…the cup…finding the cylinder…looking up the runes on the cup and cylinder for the first time… putting the cup inside the cylinder…her first nightmare.

That about covered the first part. Still, she had to wonder, why, why, why? Hermione didn't have an answer for that. On the bottom of this parchment she wrote the word 'WHY?' very large, covering the bottom part of the paper.

On another piece of parchment, she wrote down what she knew to be true, or rather, what she believed to be true. For knowing and believing are two different things. Fact one, Salazar Slytherin and Helga Hufflepuff were at one time in love. Two, they fought, he left, he came back, rescued her, and created his Horcrux in a cave, thinking she was dying.

Three, she didn't die. He wanted to create a Horcrux for her. Did he? Hermione would come back to that one. Four, Helga was with child. Five, Salazar performed a blood purity test on Helga, which proved her a pureblood, even though her own parents told her she wasn't. (Hermione put a star next to that one, for she still had to figure out why that happened.) Six, Salazar, tricking Helga into thinking he was going to perform a binding ceremony, instead, in a bizarre fit of madness, threw her into an underground spring. Again, why?

At this point, Hermione was at an impasse. She dreamt that Helga survived, by swimming toward a green light, and entering another underground chamber, and Salazar thought she drowned. He obviously was distraught at that thought. Therefore, apparently, it was never his intention to drown her.

At least Hermione knew why she had the nightmares that she did. Of course, when her nightmares began, at first she remembered nothing, then she remembered Draco trying to drown her, and then she remembered Slytherin trying to drown Helga. The strange thing was, Draco never tried to drown her, and in all truthfulness, that wasn't Salazar's intent either. However, Helga thought he was trying to drown her.

Speaking of drowning, Hermione's head was swimming. She felt no closer to the truth than she did last summer.

She took out a third piece of parchment and wrote Paul equals Slytherin. Then, she crossed out the word Paul, and wrote a question mark. She didn't know why, but she seriously doubted Nick's claims that Slytherin was in Paul, so he probably didn't represent Salazar. Under this, she wrote Hermione equals Helga, Draco equals Ravenclaw. '?' equals Gryffindor. Then over the crossed out 'Paul' she wrote Nick equals Slytherin. She balled this paper up and threw it in the corner. Seriously, she didn't even think she believed that she was some distant relative of one of the founders. Ludicrous.

Hermione put her head on her desk and shut her eyes, willing sleep to come, hoping against all hope that perhaps she would dream, and in her dreams, the answers would just come to her. She closed her eyes, but was still quite awake. She heard her door open. Perhaps if the person thought she was sleeping, they would go away. Maybe it would be Slytherin, popping in for a little chat. She had a lot she wanted to ask him. That thought almost made her smile. She would keep up her ruse until the person revealed who they were, or told her a piece of the puzzle.

"Granger?" the familiar voice said. It was Draco. What to do, what to do? She kept her eyes shut. Maybe he would give her a kiss, to wake her up. That was worth pretending, the possibility of receiving a kiss from her very own prince charming. He walked up to stand behind her desk and put his hands on her shoulders. He bent down and kissed her cheek. She didn't move. She wanted at least a kiss on the lips before she stopped playing opossum.

He brushed the hair back from her face, and kissed her temple, near her hairline. He sat on the desk and said, "I can tell you are faking."

She sat up and said, "How?"

"I've watched you sleeping so many times, that I think I can tell when you are really a sleep, or just faking. Why are you pretending, my little one?" He took her hand and examined her nails.

"I wanted a kiss from my prince charming," she said, honestly.

"What if it wasn't me that came in your room?" he asked.

"I didn't say you were my prince charming," she said coyly, giving him an impish grin. He pulled her up between his legs.

"Apologize, my love, and give me a kiss befitting my title of Hermione's one and only prince charming," he said, with fake disdain.

"What a long name you have, my sweet," she said. "Hermione's one and only prince charming, huh?" She kissed his neck, and then leaned her whole body into his. He put his arms tight around her. No words were necessary. He knew what was troubling her. He looked down at the parchments on her desk, and all the things she wrote. He kissed her hair and forced her chin up, with his finger.

"Don't let this consume your every waking moment. Soon, everything will be revealed. Aren't you the one who always says, 'everything happens for a reason'?" he asked.

"I never say that," she said, repeating what he told her on Christmas day.

He reached around her robes and pinched her bum. "Watch it, Mr. Malfoy!" she yelped, slapping his hand away. "I will have you know my prince charming would never pinch my bum!"

"Your prince charming sounds like a boring chap," Draco dished, "Good thing I'm your prince half-way charming."

She kept her arms tight around his neck and said, "I'm hungry."

"What a random thing to say," he said, holding her away from his body. "Let's get some food. I hear they have shepherd's pie tonight. My favourite." He held her hand the entire way down to dinner. As they walked in the Great Hall, someone watched their every move. That same person took that opportunity to go up to Hermione's classroom. The person was looking for something specific, and had already searched her room and Draco's room, during classes today.

This person walked in her classroom, and locked the door. Going over to her desk, they rummaged through her papers. Sitting down at her desk, the person opened the top drawer, picked up a Muggle spiral notebook, and threw it on the corner of the desk. It fell off, so the person bent down to pick it up, and saw a piece of parchment, rolled into a ball, on the floor. The person bent down to pick it up, unfolded it, and saw where someone, they could only assume Hermione, wrote Paul equals Slytherin, Hermione equals Hufflepuff, Draco equals Ravenclaw, and '?' equals Gryffindor. Above Paul's name, which had been crossed out, was another question mark, and a one small word. 'Nick'.

What did that mean? This person smoothed out the paper, and put it in their pocket.

Another Nightmare, of Epic Proportions:

Draco, Don, Nick and Hermione had been back to Hogwarts for two weeks. Draco had practically moved to Hermione's suite. He spent all his time there, anyway. The Headmistress was none the wiser. He was letting Nick Boot stay in his room. He was sitting on the couch, studying for his exams. He received a letter telling him there was a make-up exam in March. He desperately wanted to take the exams at that time, so he didn't have to wait until June. June would be a busy month, since they were getting married in June.

Hermione came out of the bathroom, in her pajamas, drying her hair with a towel. She went over to sit by the fire, hoping the warmth from the radiating heat would not only help to warm her, but would help to dry her hair. "The one thing I like best about going home is a hair dryer," she exclaimed.

"Hmm," he said. He wasn't paying attention.

She didn't want to disturb his studying, so she went to her bookshelf, grabbed a book, and sat on the other end of the couch, with her legs stretched out in front of her. He pulled her feet on his lap, and put a pillow over them. He knew that even though she had socks on, her feet were always cold.

"Thanks," she muttered.

"Hmm," he said for the second time. She smiled and shook her head.

After an hour of reading, she looked over at Draco. His head was back against the sofa pillow, and his book was closed on his lap. Poor thing. He was asleep. She moved her feet from his lap, closed her book, and took his from his lap. She didn't want to wake him, so she went over to the bedroom, grabbed a quilt, and tucked him safely underneath. She stroked his hair away from his forehead. She whispered, "Goodnight, my prince charming." She kissed his head lightly, and went to the bedroom. She took a pillow, and another blanket, and lay down on the end of the sofa that she just vacated. She used her wand to stoke the fire, and extinguish the lights. Within minutes, she was asleep.

Draco was thrashing about, in his sleep. Hermione woke to the sounds of him cursing, and shouting. She lit a lantern on the wall with her wand, and scrambled out from under her quilt. She was still on the couch, when he suddenly lunged for her. He was holding her shoulders, shaking her. Nothing he was saying was coherent. She was crying and shouting, "Wake up, Draco!" He stood, lifting her from the couch. He picked her completely off the couch and threw her across the room.

She staggered to stand, in pain. Holding her arm, from where it hit the wall, she went up to him. His eyes were open, but it didn't look like he could even see her. She said, "Wake up, Draco, it's me, it's Hermione."

He appeared to look right through her. He raised his hand and slapped her so hard, that her lip bled. She tried to run to the door, but he caught her. He said, "Why do you run, Mudblood?"

'No', she thought. What if it's Slytherin again! She cowered on the floor, and cried, "Draco, please, I know you are in there. Hear me!"

He lifted her from the floor, and with strength she was sure he didn't usually possess, he held her up completely, her legs dangling. He said, "You will pay, Mudblood. You will not interfere any longer!" He threw her and she landed in the hearth of the fireplace. Her pajama sleeve caught on fire, and she screamed in pain and fear.

Don Boot was walking from Draco's room, were he had just left his brother Nick, to his room, when he heard Hermione screaming in agony. He was in her room in seconds. Draco stood, immobilized, eyes opened, but seemingly still in a deep sleep. Hermione was batting at her sleeve with her hand, trying to extinguish the flames. Don grabbed the quilt from her sofa and wrapped her tightly within, rolling her on the floor. The fire was put out quickly, but she was still in a great deal of pain.

Don looked over at Draco, who was still standing, and appeared to be under a curse, or something, as he stood by, watching Hermione in pain, with no expression, but the utter look of apathy on his face. Don's attention had to go to Hermione first. He lifted her, bridal style, and took her to the bathroom. He set her on the side of the tub, and ripped off her sleeve, which had almost melted to her skin. He used his wand, and said several complex healing spells. Her crying soon ceased.

"Do you want to go to the Hospital wing?" he asked.

"No, no, I am fine," she exclaimed, looking at her arm. He transfigured a towel into bandages, and looked in her medicine cabinet. Finding what he was looking for, he put some salve on her red, blistered skin, and wrapped it in bandages.

"What happened? What's wrong with him?" Don asked.

"I don't know. We were both sleeping, and then he threw me across the room, slapped me, and then threw me in the fireplace," she explained.

He stroked her cheek, and put his thumb on her swollen, bleeding lip. He said, "Tell me, did he say anything?"

"He called me a Mudblood, twice, and told me I would no longer be interfering," she said. A small tear swept down her cheek. Don took one finger and wiped it away. This was not right. What if it was Slytherin? How could that be? He was supposed to be in Paul, unless his mother and Nick had lied to him. He gave Hermione some pain potion, and told her to stay put. He walked to her room, looked in three dresser drawers before he found another nightshirt, and threw it in to her.

"Put this on and stay in here until I come get you," he said. He bent his head and kissed her forehead. To make sure she did not leave the room, he locked the door with magic. He didn't know what Draco might be capable of, and he didn't want her hurt in any way.

He walked back out to the main room. Draco was in the same exact place, standing straight, staring into the fire, no expression on his face. Don said, "Draco! Wake up, right now!"

No response.

"Draco!" Don said again, this time shaking his shoulder. Don pointed his wand and said a spell to wake him. Draco turned to Don.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked, totally confused, but at least finally awake.

"What do you remember?' Don asked.

"What do you mean?" Draco asked. He began to look around. "Why am I standing here? I was on the couch studying. Where's Hermione?" He was curious, but not anxious. That was soon to change.

"She's in the bathroom. Listen, Draco, you just went into some type of rage in your sleep. You attacked her. You hit her and busted her lip, and then you threw her in the effing fireplace, for goodness sakes!" Don shouted.

"Is she alright?" Draco asked, running toward the bathroom. He couldn't get the door open.

"No she's bloody well not alright!" Don said. "She burnt her arm very bad, which will certainly scar, and she will probably have bruises all over her body from where you threw her halfway across the room!"

"GRANGER!" Draco shouted from the bedroom, through the door.

"Draco?" Hermione asked back. Don released the lock. Hermione ran out into Draco's arms.

"Where are you hurt?" he asked.

She removed her nightshirt, leaving her in just an undershirt. She showed him her wrapped arm.

"What?" he asked.

"My arm is burnt. You threw me in the fireplace," she said. She wasn't scare or upset, just confused.

"No!" he said. "Why would I do that?" he asked, turning to Don. "WHY?"

"Tell me what you remember," Don said.

"I told you! Nothing! I remember studying and that's all, until you woke me up! What the hell is happening now?"

"I don't know," Don said, honestly. "I was outside your room. Nick and I have decided to guard you every night now. We were just discussing that, when I left to go back to my room and I heard Hermione screaming, and when I came in, her sleeve was on fire."

Draco held Hermione and said, "I'm so, so sorry!" He held her tight. "I would never hurt you!" He touched her swollen lip, and a look of anguish crossed his brow.

"I know," she said, "you are just under stress from studying, the wedding, the prophecy, and everything else."

"No, it's more than that," Draco admitted. He sat on the couch, pulling her down to sit on his lap. He looked at Don and said, "I lied. I remember what I was dreaming. I've been dreaming the same dream for four nights now. That's why I didn't want to sleep tonight. I was going to try to study all night."

"What are you dreaming?" Don asked.

He looked at Don, and then kissed Hermione's cheek. He slid her off his lap and said, "I have been dreaming of hurting Hermione. Every night, in my dreams, I hurt her. I have dreamt of hitting her, beating her even. I have drowned her, thrown her down the stairs, every unimaginable horrible thing. It's eating away at my soul! Just dreaming of hurting her is killing me inside. In my dreams it's not even really I. It's as if I'm watching myself do it, from afar, and now, I've actually hurt her. Why do you think this is happening?"

"I don't know, but I know one thing, you need to move back to your own room," Don said.

Hermione was the first to speak, "No, that won't solve the problem. We need to have Nick come and use his abilities to help Draco understand or remember his dreams, so we can understand them. If Slytherin is back, than we have to know!"

"I won't risk hurting you," Draco said. "Don's right. I will go back to my room right now. Stay here, Hermione, please." Draco left.

Hermione said to Don, "Go with him, please."

"I will. I will stay in his room with him, but I won't feel safe unless you let Nick stay in your room with you, on the couch, of course." Don looked at her pleadingly.

She thought that was an excellent idea. She waited for Nick to come. He came in the room, rushed up to her and said, "Are you okay? Do you need me to look at your arm?"

"No, your brother did a very good job, healing my arm. Just stay here with me tonight," she said, sadly.

He nodded and hugged her. As he held her, stroking her hair, he said, "We'll get to the bottom of this. I swear. I want everyone to have his or her lives back. You, Draco, Don, Paul, and for selfish reasons, me. I broke up with my girlfriend over this, because it was consuming all of our lives."

Hermione looked up at him and said, "Oh, Nick, I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," he said. "Go to bed, and try to get some sleep. I think I have an ideal way to find the underlying cause of this. Maybe this coming weekend we can work on it. I only hope it helps."

"I do too, Nick," Hermione said. He sat down on the couch, and reached for the quilt, which was covering Draco earlier. He covered up and Hermione came up and stroked his head. "I forget sometimes, how much your family has lost. I'm sorry."

He took her hand that was stroking his hair, and held it lightly. "Thank you. Now, get some sleep. We have a lot of work to do."

Hermione said. "Yes, I need to get to the bottom of this, even if Draco isn't in agreement. Just let me just make sure Draco is better before we try to do anything rash." She smiled at him and went off to bed.

Hermione Finds Something Interesting

Hermione was walking along the dungeons. It had been a week since Draco's nighttime outburst, and he had been sleeping in his own room ever since. Nothing else had happened, although she had a funny feeling his dreams were still happening at regular intervals. He seemed distant and guarded with her during the day, almost apologetic, and fearful of touching her. She had decided to tell Nick she was ready to try whatever he had in mind, to try to unravel the mystery. It was one thing when it only affected her, but now, it was disturbing Draco as well. That was unacceptable.

She was on her way to Draco's office. Deep in thought, and not paying any mind to where she was going, she took a wrong turn or two, and was soon in unfamiliar surroundings. It wasn't even as if she was aware of walking the wrong way. Something unseen was guiding her. This part of the dungeons did not seem familiar to her at all. She continued walking, going down a corridor, which she could tell was winding further underground. There were no doorways on either side. She knew she should turn back, and go find Draco. He would be waiting for her. She told him earlier she would come down to his office, to retrieve him for lunch. She had a free period, so she had an hour to spare before finding him. She had time to explore. After all, curiosity was healthy, wasn't it?

She continued down the long, winding corridor, which seemed to get smaller the deeper she went underground. She was walking for almost a half an hour. How long was this corridor? Where did it lead? She soon saw water on the floor. At first, there were just puddles, here and there. Soon, she was splashing through the water, as it covered the entire floor of the corridor.

The way was getting dark. At first, sconces with lit candles guided her way. Now, she had to use her wand. She saw a midst, a wisp of something, ahead of her. She called out, but nothing answered. Was this her guide? Was this 'midst' the reason she seemed to find this corridor in the first place? She quickened her pace, not quite to a run, but quicker than a brisk walk. She reached the end of the corridor. Standing in water, with the ends of her robes now wet, and her feet submerged, she looked up to the only opening in the whole corridor, which was only an iron grate, high on the wall, at the very end. It was opened, and if she reached up with her hand, she could feel cold air escape.

Draco was in his office. He looked at the clock on his desk. Granger had a free period, she was supposed to come meet him, and then they were going to lunch. He rather thought she would come early. She must be taking the free time to grade papers or such rubbish. He put his quill down and his hand came up and went through his hair, in frustration. They had been back to Hogwarts for over three weeks, and no clues. It was as if Helga and Salazar had taken a holiday.

He stood up, stretched, and decided to go find her. As he started down the stone hallway, a 7th year Gryffindor stopped him. "Professor Malfoy, is Professor Granger with you?"

"No, why?" he asked the girl.

"I wanted to ask her a question about my report. She told me if I had any more questions to come find her before lunch. She said she would be down here with you. Well, if you see her, tell her I was looking for her, thanks." The young girl walked away.

If she told a student she would be down here, where in the world was she. He turned to walk in the other direction. It was just a hunch, but he wondered if she had gone to see Don. He started to Don's classroom, knowing he had a free period as well. He was not there. He went to Don's office. The door was slightly ajar, but he was not at his desk. Draco walked inside and saw Helga's locket. Why was it just lying openly on the desk, for anyone to find? Did it still have the memory charm? What if Hermione had come in here? She probably would have tried the damn thing on again. He put it in his pocket and strolled out the door. He wanted Don to worry where it went. He saw Hermione come running toward him, from the end of the hallway. She was completely, and totally, wet. He frowned and started to ask her if she had gone swimming in the middle of winter when she reached him, grabbed his hand, and without a word started pulling him down the hallway.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see," she said, excited.

"Where have you been?" He would try a different angle.

She answered again with, "You'll see!"

They had been walking, no, running, down a long, skinny passageway for over 20 minutes. He had no trouble keeping up with her, but he began to lag behind. Finally, he came to a complete stop, which caused her to stop.

"Are you taking me for a swim?" he asked, trying to be funny, though he felt far from it.

"No, I found something. Something interesting," she said cryptically. Hermione tried to drag him from his spot, but his feet seemed to have grown roots.

"Just tell me," he said, still hindering her progress.

"I have to show you," she said, with a determined look on her face. She continued to pull him. He didn't budge one iota. She gave him a dirty look and pulled hard on his earlobe.

"Ouch! You mean old thing," he said. She was pulling him down the long corridor, and he had no choice but to join her, or lose his ear. He finally reached his hand up and removed her hand from his ear. He twisted her arm, lightly, behind her back and said, "I don't have time for games."

"Fine, don't come. Your loss," she said. She let go of his hand and ran down the corridor. He had no choice but to chase her, and she knew it.

They finally reached the end, which appeared to be just that, a dead end. The water was sloshing up over their feet at this point. She pointed to a high grate, not any bigger than a heating duct, which had water dribbling out of it. "What is it?" he asked.

"I think I know, but it's just a feeling. Lift me and we can see," she said.

"Fine," he said. She couldn't believe he agreed so willingly. He bent down and said, "Climb on my shoulders."

She hiked up her robes, and put one leg around his neck, then the other, as he kneeled down. He stood up, with her on his shoulders, holding her calves. She said, "Closer, Draco." She put her lit wand through the iron bars.

With his nose practically pressed against the wall, he said, "What do you see?"

"Oh my goodness!" She squealed. "PUT ME DOWN!"

"Why?" he asked.

She actually pulled on his hair, to try to bring her leg around his neck, to climb down. He held her legs tighter and said, "What is wrong?"

"It's the chamber! The one Helga swam to, to escape Slytherin! Let me down, please, please," she cried. He quickly let her down from his shoulders, but he held on to her hand, refusing to let her escape down the hall.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She moved to hug him tight, with her head on his chest. "Yes, I know it is! It's just as I saw in my vision."

He lifted her chin and held her face up to his. "How did you find it?"

"I don't know. I just did. Something drew me here," she said.

"More than chance, I would say," he wondered aloud. He said, "We will go get Don and Nick, and come back here tonight. By god, this has to be more than a mere coincidence."

"Are you sure, Draco?" Hermione asked, "Are you really sure you want to come back here?"

"Yes, for I want this to end, and I want to be able to sleep with you in my arms again. Come on; let's go tell the Boots what we found. Tonight, we will come back here, and use whatever means is available, legilimens, hypnosis, or even the damn locket," he said, remembering the locket he had snatched from Don's desk.

"Tonight, we will have some answers," she agreed.

"Yes, tonight." Draco took her hand, and led her back down the long, winding, narrow corridor, glancing back only once. Tonight; He hoped for answers. Yes, tonight.


	26. Part XXVI

All Characters belong to JK Rowling

**Part XXVI:**

Inside the Chamber:

Hermione sat on her couch, waiting for Draco. They had just eaten dinner, and he had gone to tell Don and Nick about their find today, and was going to suggest that they all go back to the chamber tonight. As she sat there, thinking about what they might discover, and fearful of the same, she had another vision.

_Helga no longer heard voices. Apparently, Godric and Salazar must have left. She wondered what they thought happened to her. She had fallen asleep, but now that she was awake, she had no idea what time it was. She stood up and moved her lit wand back and forth over the walls. The room was circular, with the spring taking up just half of the room. Along the smooth circular wall was only stone. She held her wand close to it to examine further. Toward the middle of the room, she saw symbols, embedded deeply in the stone, forming a sort of archway. She touched the engravings lightly with her hand. She had no knack for transcribing runes. She didn't recognize even one. This appeared to be an unknown language, perhaps ancient and remote._

_She touched one symbol in particular, and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and said, "Reveal thy secrets." To her surprise and astonishment, a door appeared. Surely, it couldn't be that easy. She opened the door and stepped inside. Instantly, she was warm. There were small steps leading up, circling around the enclosed turret. She climbed, higher and higher. Where was she? When she could climb no longer, for the stairs ended, she stopped. There was only another smooth, stonewall, with the same runes and symbols. She spoke the same words, touching the same symbol, and another door appeared. She stepped inside. She was definitely in a tower. She recognized this tower. It was the one in which the previous inhabitants of this castle first took her, after she, Godric, and Rowena, had met with them to see if they would share this magical land. The meeting that day went terribly wrong._

_During the meeting, Godric immediately recognized the youngest brother of the Darians, the one who tried to kill Salazar that day. He looked just like his brothers. Did he know Godric was the one that had tried to kill him? He did, for he recognized Godric as well. Although Godric __**could **__have killed him that night, he showed him mercy, and let him live, even though he told Salazar that he had killed him. Now he wished he had killed the man that night. The Darians told Godric that was the only reason he did not kill him the minute he set foot in their castle, was because Godric did not kill him that night._

_The whole time the three founders and three of their followers spoke with the Darian Brothers, the eldest didn't speak at all. He stared the whole time at Helga. Soon, she was uncomfortable under his watch, and she made an excuse to Godric that she had to leave. She left the castle to return to their tents. That was when the eldest brother finally spoke._

_He told Godric that they could have a piece of their land for their school, in exchange for the fair-haired witch's hand in marriage. Godric said there was no bartering to be done. If Helga chose to marry, that was different. The wizard laughed and said, "Then we will let her decide. Brothers, bring the wrench back to me." Godric and Rowena were outraged, but outnumbered. They were bound magically, and held captive. _

_As Helga was approaching the settlement, with only her lady in waiting riding by her side, she was unaware she was not alone. Salazar had been watching them ever since they came to these lands. Surely, Godric was aware by now who these wizards were. When he saw Helga riding with only one maiden through the valley, he was afraid for her. Perhaps it was time to reveal himself. Apologize for leaving her, and come back to her. As he made to ride down the side of the hill, toward his one love, he saw eleven dark figures approach the women. He stayed in hiding, knowing that the dark magic of these men could easily overpower him. _

_The men killed her lady in waiting, and dragged Helga off her steed, and with force, took her back to the castle. When they reached the castle, they took Helga to the castle's main chamber, and the eldest brother made her his proposition. She saw her friends, who were bound, and had surely been cursed, and for their sakes, and the sake of their school, she agreed to stay with this wizard, but she told him she would never give herself freely to him. _

_He released the others, and took her to the very tower she now stood. This was where she awaited her fate. This was where she was when the battle for Hogwarts began. Rowena and Godric had decided as soon as they were released, to rescue her. The two founders and 25 of their followers forged a plan to battle the Darians. _

_Salazar watched from various hilltops. It took all his resolve not to rescue her himself. He knew that she was still untouched, in the highest tower of the castle. As the battle began, Salazar finally rescued her. Although that was a fact, she was never made aware._

_The Darians and the founders were in the midst of a bloody battle. Helga was afraid for her friends and their followers. She sat on the cold rocky floor, wishing for her wand. She had just resigned herself to jump out of the tower, live or die; she didn't care her fate, when the eldest brother appeared. _

"_Your friends are losing. My brothers and I are winning. Our power is 12 fold, as long as we all live. If your friend, Gryffindor had killed my youngest brother that day, as he told his friend Slytherin he did, they might have won this battle. All of our power comes from one wand, and we have never been defeated. If you want your friends to live, consent to be my wife. I shall not take you by force, for what it there for me in that?" he told her._

"_Let me go tell them goodbye," she offered._

"_No, not until you consent," he said._

_Helga was on the verge of consenting, when the small tower room was enveloped in darkness. She screamed, as did the wizard beside her. She saw a red light from a wand pass by her, and the man collapsed. She felt someone lift her. They put a scarf over her eyes, and bound her hands and feet. She thought she had gone from one hell to another._

_This person rode with her, many miles, on a stallion. Somehow, as she was pressed against this stranger's chest, she was comforted, not afraid. She would ask questions, but received no answers. They rode all night. Finally, as tired as she was, she welcomed sleep. She only woke when they reached their destination, and a pair of strong hands lifted her off the horse. The person placed her safely under a large tree, and gave her some water. Next, he kissed her cheek. The person got back on the horse, and rode away. She waited to remove the blindfold. When she did, she was alone._

_At that time, she did not know her saviour was Salazar. That was something she had just discovered, as she paced back and forth in the tower, remembering the events of that night. That night, as Salazar headed back to help with the fight, he was not aware that she too was rejoining the battle. Helga apparated back to their encampment. In the middle ages, not many wizards and witches were gifted enough to apparate, but Helga's magic was always far above the average._

_Rowena and Godric rejoiced when they saw she had escaped. However, their celebration was short lived, when they found out her plan to return to the Darians. She couldn't let one more person die, when it was in her power to stop it. She walked through the battlefield, toward the Darians, to give herself freely to the eldest. That was when the wayward curse hit her, and she fell. That was right before the incident in the cave, and Salazar coming back to her._

_She stood in the tower, and she recalled all of these events. She knew in her heart at that moment that he had saved her from this tower before, and he had saved her in that cave. He must love her. Why would he have saved her twice, if he did not love her? He was distraught when he thought she had drowned. He was misguided sometimes, but not evil, not bad. She made up her mind to go find him. She turned to leave the turret room, but the way was again blocked. She touched her hand to the stone once more, but could not leave. What was she to do now?_

_Godric and Salazar went to find Rowena. To their surprise, they could not find her anywhere. Godric knew the real reason the two witches had planned on leaving that day, so he knew Rowena would not leave without Helga. They ran back down to the chamber. Godric's idea was to siphon all the water from the underground spring, and to see if there was any other way to escape the water. Before they reached the chamber, Godric said, "Just tell me, why? Why did you do this?"_

"_To create her a Horcrux," he admitted._

"_Why? Can't one life with her be enough?" Godric yelled._

"_I have almost lost her twice; I didn't want to lose her again. I discovered a way that I could create the Horcrux for her, so that she would not have to take a life. I took the life for her. I killed one of our followers, but the man deserved to die. Rowena told me that this man had raped one of her lady's-in-waiting. He was a monster, and deserved to die. So I took his life, and all I needed was for Helga to submerge in the pool, for a total of three minutes underwater, so I would have time to say the incantation, and remove a piece of her soul, seal it in the object, and then rescue her. However, she was too afraid, and filled with panic. She fought, and in her fight, she started to drown. I was too busy with the incantation to see that she was truly drowning! I never meant for her to come to harm!"_

"_So you did it? You created her a Horcrux?" Godric asked, outraged._

"_Yes, it is done, but at what cost?" Salazar cried in misery._

"_Why didn't you tell her? She wouldn't have been so afraid. She imagined you were killing her. Her last moments were filled with thoughts that the man she loved the most was trying to kill her!"_

"_If I had told her, she would never have agreed!" Salazar shouted._

"_Is the fact that she is gone, and perhaps perished, a better thing?" Godric spat back._

_Helga could hear every word they shouted echoing up from the underground chamber, all the way up to the tower. He never meant to kill her. She tried to scream for them. Surely if she could hear them, they could hear her. She yelled until her throat was hoarse, but they never gave her any indication they could hear her. She knew she could not apparate out of the tower, because she had tried to do that very think the first time she was held captive there._

_Godric's idea to siphon the water didn't work. The spring had magical properties, and as soon as they removed the water, it came right back._

_Godric went back into the pool, and dived down. He felt the grate. He came back up and said, "Where does this spring lead? Where does this grate go?"_

"_I have no idea," Salazar said, sitting against the wall, defeated. "I assumed the grate went outside somewhere." Godric dove back under, this time with his wand. He lit the wand, and went to the very bottom. The grate no longer had an opening, as it did for her. He would never guess that she had swum through. He came back to the surface and lifted his body from the spring. He said to Salazar, "She couldn't just disappear! And where is Rowena!"_

"_It no longer matters," Salazar said petulantly. "I shall no longer live without my Helga."_

"_I won't lose you, too!" Godric said. "Be the brave, smart wizard that I know you are, and help me to locate Fair Hufflepuff, and Clever Rowena!" Godric pulled Salazar up from the wall, and led him back upstairs. "I know she is not dead!"_

_Many hours passed. Helga was resigned to her fate. She was going to die up in this tower. Her baby would die, and she would die, and Salazar would never know that he had not killed her. How did Salazar enter the night he rescued her from the Darian? She closed her eyes, and thought of the outcome that she wanted. Perhaps she could 'will' someone to rescue her._

Back to Hogwarts, Present time:

When Hermione's vision ended, she fell off the couch. She stood up, afraid, and started to pace the room. She jumped at every noise outside her door. She looked at the clock on the mantle. It was 6:30. They should be here any minute. The thing was she no longer wanted the men to come to the chamber with her and Draco. She didn't even want them to know about the chamber, and she especially didn't want them to know of her vision, and she didn't know the reason for that either. She shut her eyes, and tried to think of a valid reason why they should not go back to the chamber, when she heard a voice. The voice said, "Listen to your own heart, and it shall not fail you."

Hermione no longer felt the need to tell Nick and Don anything, because of the things she had just seen in her vision, and because of the voice in her head that told her to trust her own heart.

She had already figured out some things on her own. Helga's Horcrux was created. At the time it was created, she thought Slytherin was trying to kill her. This was an important piece of information, for it told Hermione one scenario for the possible reason Helga's soul, which was released from the cylinder that day last summer, could possibly be unable to rest. That piece of her soul was ripped from Helga's being, with Helga's last thought being that the man she loved was drowning her. She now thought that not all her nightmares of drowning came from Slytherin at all. She thought they came from Helga.

Another piece of definitive proof was that when Salazar created his Horcrux in that cave, it too was ripped from Salazar's life, under the impression that Helga was dying. When it was released from the cup, the same day Helga's was released from the cylinder; it was unaware of the fact that Helga lived on, and the two pieces of souls were unaware of the other.

The rest of the story still confused her. Had Slytherin ever really possessed anyone? If he had, wouldn't his only concern be for Helga? Why would he try to kill or harm Hermione? Were the two things related?

She no longer wanted to go to the chamber, for something else was gnawing at her. She no longer trusted either Boot brother. She didn't know why, but she didn't. She would feign illness tonight, or pretend she could no longer find the passageway, but she didn't want to lead them to the chamber. She wanted to figure this out on her own.

A knock on her door startled her more than it should have. She ran to answer. It was Draco.

"Are you alone?" she asked.

"Yes, why?" he asked back, bending his head slightly, for she was talking in mere whispers.

"Did you tell Don and Nick anything yet?" she asked.

"No, I told them to meet us here, for we had something important to tell them. I couldn't get them alone to tell them the whole story. They will be here shortly though, why?" Draco asked.

"I don't want to tell them," she declared, "and not only that, but I don't want to show them the chamber."

"And may I inquire, and ask for the third time, WHY?" he asked back, disturbed at the sudden change of plans.

Before she could say anything, there was another knock at her door. Draco moved to answer, and she actually tripped him. He fell over, knocking his shin into the coffee table.

"Dammit all to bloody, hell!" he shouted.

"DRACO?" Don shouted from outside in the hall, "Are you okay?"

Before Draco could answer, Hermione jumped on him and placed her hand over his mouth. He removed her hand and asked, "Are you barking mad?"

"DRACO?" Don shouted again. "What's wrong?"

"Hermione's trying to kill me," Draco shouted back. Hermione hit him on the chest with her right hand, and then her left.

"Shut up," she hissed.

Don tried to enter, but he yelled, "Hermione's changed her password! I can't enter. What's going on in there?"

Draco crawled over to the door, with Hermione on top of him. As he reached the door, and got up to his knees, she tried to drag him back, by his legs, but she wasn't strong enough. Draco opened the door, just as Hermione sucker punched his kidneys.

Don bent down and lifted Hermione off Draco. Draco sat on the floor, holding his side, and yelling, "What the hell, Granger?"

Don actually carried her over to the couch. Nick was covering his mouth, to keep from laughing, and even Don had trouble, as he tried not to show a smile.

Draco pointed at her, and said to Don, "Aren't you concerned? I beat her up, and you are all upset. She beats the shite out of me, and you laugh!"

Even Hermione saw the humour, and began to laugh. She walked over to Draco and said, "Did I hurt you?"

He put his hand on her face and pushed her back down on the couch.

"Now that your lover's spat is over, can you tell us why you requested our presence here tonight?" Don asked.

Draco was unsure what to say. Hermione looked at him hopefully. She was shaking her head slightly. He decided to let her explain. If she didn't want them to know what was going on, let her make up a lie. He sat down on a chair and said, "I'll let Granger explain."

She gave him a dirty look, as Nick and Don stared at her. She knew she had to make up a story fast, and it had to be good.

Hermione's First Lie:

She began, "I had a memory, a vision, if you will." She started walking around the room. She knew that both brothers knew about her vision from Christmas day. Perhaps she could elaborate on that vision, without really telling them about her latest. Then she had a terrible thought. That damn Nick was a very gifted Legilimens, better than she was at Occulmens. She could lie, but he very likely would see right through it. He might even uncover her memory without her knowledge.

"We are waiting, Hermione," Don said, impatiently.

She decided to tell them the truth. She told them about the chamber that she found. She told them it was the one Helga had discovered when she swam through the grate. She told them about the tower and the Battle for Hogwarts. That was all she said. She didn't tell them how she knew with all certainty that Slytherin made Helga's Horcrux. She left out the conversations about Rowena's absence. She left it up in the air. Draco wouldn't even know she was keeping some of the story to herself, for he hadn't heard the story until now. She made them believe that the vision ended suddenly.

"Then we must go to the chamber," Nick said enthused.

"NO!" Hermione shouted.

"You don't want us to go to the chamber?" Don asked.

Draco intervened, "No, I think that's why she was trying to murder me. She didn't want you to know that she found the chamber, although why she had to beat me up, and then she ended up revealing it to you anyway, is beyond me."

"You are a drama queen," Hermione spat.

"Why don't you want us to go there? Are you afraid? If you are, Draco, Nick and I can go without you," Don suggested.

"It's not that, but I don't think I can even find it again anyway, do you recall the way, Draco?" she asked, all innocent and sweet. However, she gave him a warning look, which clearly relayed the message… 'If you value your life, LIE!'

"No, I don't recall the way. Granger led me there, and she said that she was led there by some unseen guide," Draco said, ignoring her silent threat, and answering quite truthfully.

"We still should try," Nick said.

Don stood up, sensing something was wrong. He had spent too much time with Hermione not to know when something was amiss. He decided to let it drop for now. "Let's not push things. Perhaps Hermione will remember more tomorrow."

"We could use the locket!" Nick decided, standing up. "Do you still have it, Don?"

Draco waited to see what he said, for he knew Don didn't have it. He had it. Would Don admit that he lost it, or perhaps he hadn't even noticed yet it was gone? "Yes, I still have it, but not tonight. We will work on this more this weekend. I have papers to grade this evening. Draco, I think I will stay in my own room tonight, if you don't mind.

"I was getting used to sleeping with you," Draco said innocently. Nick looked surprised, and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. Draco sneered at Hermione and said, "Shut up, I still haven't forgiven you yet for beating me up earlier."

Don made to leave the room and Nick followed. Once at the door, he said, "Hermione, I'll be back later."

"I think you can stay in your brother's room tonight as well. I'll be fine." She did not want to be alone with him, in case he used his second sight, or his powers, to uncover the truth.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I will lock my door, so no boogie men, or evil Dracos can enter," she said.

He bent down and kissed her cheek. After the men left, Draco rounded to her and said, "Now, what the hell is all this about, Granger?"

She revealed the rest of her vision, and her hunch that they should no longer trust the Boots. He thought she was nuts. He trusted them both with his life, and he didn't like keeping things from them. He told Hermione that for the time being, he wouldn't tell them, but he said he would tell them if, and when, he thought they needed to know.

"I'm tired," Draco admitted, "If we aren't going ghost hunting tonight, then I'm going to my room. Goodnight, Hermione," he said, leaning down to kiss her goodnight.

"Stay tonight," she asked.

"You know I can't. I might hurt you," he said, despairingly.

"Please," she begged.

"Don't, please," Draco asked, "I have no resolve when it comes to you. I want to be with you so badly. I want to hold you tight and never let you go, but this is for your own good."

"Are you still dreaming the same dreams?" she asked.

He hated to admit it to her, but he was. Worse, the dreams had gotten so violent, that he now dreamt he killed her, every night. He was afraid to shut his eyes, yet he was afraid to stay awake, in case his dreams came true. He was even afraid to be alone with her, like they were at that moment.

"Maybe you could take some dreamless sleep draught," Hermione suggested.

"Don did make me a batch. It's down in my office," Draco said.

"Go get it, come back here, and then make love to me," she said plainly.

"You are a wicked, wanton, woman," Draco said to her.

"Nice display of alliteration," Hermione smiled.

Draco dashed down to his office, and retrieved the sleep potion. It wouldn't hurt to try it. He would also insist that she magically bind him before he slept. Maybe it would be fun to bind him during their lovemaking, as well. He laughed at that thought, in spite of himself.

He arrived back at her room, and she was waiting for him, in only a towel. "Let's go shower, Malfoy. Most of my best memories of making love to you occur in the tub."

"I already showered today," he claimed. She smiled wantonly at him, and sashayed into the bathroom.

She said, "Then you can just watch." He smiled and followed her to the bathroom.


	27. Part XXVII

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXVII:**

Afterwards:

It was so nice to be in each other's arms again. Draco often thought the best thing about being in love was simple moments like this. Being together, wrapped in your lover's arms, after making love. He looked down at the girl, nay, woman in his arms, and he remembered how he felt the first time he realized he was in love. He felt like his heart woke from an eternal slumber. Lying here with her, he reminisced about their lovemaking.

After watching Hermione shower, and showing great restraint by not jumping in there with her, he helped her dry off with a large towel. She thought he was going to join her as well, so she seemed rather put off when he stood there and merely watched.

However, after the shower, he was a willing participant. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her languidly on the lips. Soon, he buried his lips in her neck, and stroked the column of neck from her ear to her shoulder with long, wet strokes of his tongue. He looked at her and said, "It's been killing me all week to look at you, and to not be able to do this."

He worked his way down to her chest, to her nipples, until he kneeled before her. He licked her abdomen, and then kissed her navel. He licked over to her hip, his hands on her backside, and he stood back up and carried her to her bed.

The covers pulled down, he placed her on top. He had already discarded his clothing. Her body still had droplets of water here and there, which he happily kissed away. Chills erupted on her body, a combination of the cold night air and the excitement of his touch. He needed her as a drought needed rain.

He crawled over her body, kissing and licking and teasing every inch, and needing more, much more, he dipped his head lower, teasing her gently with his tongue so that pleasure erupted through her being. With his hand joining his mouth at the junction of her thighs, he sank a finger in her.

She looked down at him, when she was coherent enough to pay attention, and she grabbed his face, and pulled him up to look at her. He crawled back up her body, kissing her all the way up. Her flesh was now warm and glistening under his mouth. He sucked in a breath, holding it for a moment, as he sank into her. Their pleasure was supreme, and it pierced every fiber of their beings. She held his hips as he picked up his pace, but then he slowed down. He did not want the moment over so quickly. He deepened his strokes, and she cried out as if in pain. Her pleasure mocking him.

She felt vulnerable at times like this, when she truly let go. He knew that. The only thing he wanted at times when she felt as if she was on the verge of defenselessness, was to make her feel safe. He enveloped her in his arms, and turned them both over. She looked at his face, his eyes closed, yet she could still read him like an open book. She swallowed hard and took control, and soon she was rocking back and forth so hard and fast on top of him, that she was no longer self-conscious. She was barely conscious. She collapsed upon him, as the waves started to crash around them.

With strength and tenacity, he turned them back over, as her spasms continued, and he gave her a final few strokes, and his hips bucked, and he came as well.

"That was nice," Draco said, moving to his side, and caressing her shoulder.

"Nice?" she asked, breathing hard.

"What do you want me to say? I'm half brain dead from our escapade," he joked.

She touched his cheek, as he was touching hers. She snuggled closer to him and said, "Do you still think we should be married in June."

He frowned. "Where did that come from, Granger?" he asked.

"I don't know, it's just, what if this isn't over by then," she asked.

"It will be," he said, though he doubted his own words. "May I ask you a question?" he asked.

"No," she said. She looked up at him, smiled, and said, "I'm joking, go on."

"Why do you suddenly not trust the Boots?" he asked.

She took a deep breath and said, "The thing is, it's not that I don't trust them. I mean, I still trust Don completely, when I really think about it. I just want to know what is in this for them. I do not believe that they would take the promise of Ravenclaw, from 1000 years ago, so literal. I mean, just because she promised to protect all of the founder's heirs, doesn't mean that they have to do it." She sat up, and reached down for his t-shirt, putting it over her body.

While she was still sitting, she said, "Why would Mrs. Boot send her youngest son to watch over us, but not Don or the older ones? If they all knew about this 'prophecy' or whatever, two years ago, why didn't they share the information with us then? Don originally told us he was protecting us that year from the Brotherhood of the Raven, because he promised his little brother Terry that he would protect us. How did it shift from a promise to Terry to this 'quest'? None of it makes sense."

He sat up as well, and he saw her reasoning. "Continue, little one, you have my interest sparked."

"Okay," Hermione grasped her hands together, excited. She was eager finally to tell her theories to someone. "If Mrs. Boot is the wonderful clairvoyant that she claims to be, why oh why can't she see who the Hufflepuff/Slytherin heir is? She could see us clearly, she could see that we were 'destine' to kill this person, but she cannot see who they are. I think she is playing us. Hell, she might be playing her own sons. That's the mystery we should be unraveling, not the whole 'put their souls back together' shite."

"Language, Granger," he warned. He had never questioned any of these things before. "You know, there's a reason why everyone thinks you are so smart. You are. I had never given any of this much thought."

"Don't get me wrong," Hermione said, "I still believe my visions, and I still think something started this summer, with the cup and the cylinder, but maybe whatever started this summer is what Mrs. Boot really saw, and maybe in a way, that is one of the things she wants to stop, or manipulate. I still have more questions than answers, but I know there is more than meets the eye. I feel it, deep inside." She put her hand to her heart, for affect.

"I think I agree, Granger. We will definitely go exploring tomorrow, on our own. Let's not put so much value in everything Mrs. Boot said to us," Draco said, pulling her back down on top of him. He kissed her lips soundly. "Enough detective work tonight, okay? I just want to lull in the comfort of your arms for a while." He pulled her closer to him. She rested her head on his chest, her right hand on his heart. He kissed the top of her head, and draped his arm over her. He knew he could not go to sleep until he took the potion and she restrained him.

She was starting to dose, as he was still holding her, reflecting on their 'moment'. He nudged her shoulder slightly and said, "Don't go to sleep yet. I still have to take my dreamless sleep draught, and you still have to bind me."

She opened her eyes and said, "You were serious about restraining you?"

"Of course," he said, sitting on the side of the bed and reaching over for the potion. He took two swigs. That should be enough. He drank some water and said, "Nighty, nighty, Granger-poo."

"Was that alcohol in there or sleep draught?" she asked, reaching over him for her wand, which was by his water. "Granger-poo, I swear," she mocked.

He fluffed his pillow and said, "Let me get comfortable first." When he was ready, he said, "Okay, chain me up, Master."

"You're so weird," she said. She bound his feet on the footboard, and then she bound his hands together, finally chaining them to the headboard. "What if you get an itch?" she asked.

"You are the only itch I ever need to scratch," he said, yawning. The draught was working already. He closed his eyes, and said, "I love you."

"I know you do, and I love you, too, don't ever forget that," she said. She kissed his forehead, pulled up the covers, and put her wand under her pillow. The truth was she was a smidgen afraid, although she would not admit that to Draco. She would keep her wand close by, just in case. She did not want to let her guard down.

Wake Up, Draco!

She finally went to sleep as well. She slept until the morning. When she woke, she looked over at Draco. He was, as expected, in the exact same position as he was last night. He must not have had any "murder Hermione nightmares." Good. She padded out of bed, and went to get a quick shower. She put on a pair of jeans and a warm wool jumper. She was sitting on the bed, lacing her trainers, when she looked back over at Draco. He was sleeping steadily still. She debated whether to wake him, but she knew she should, especially if they wanted to explore the chamber today. Best start early, so no one would be suspicious, especially Don and Nick.

She walked up to his side of the bed, leaned down, kissed his cheek and said, "Wake up, sleepy head." As she stood back up, she removed his restraints. He stayed perfectly still, expect for the steady rise and fall of his chest. She looked at him again, kissed his lips this time, and very close to his ear, said, "Draco, wake up."

He did not move. That sleep draught was strong.

She rubbed his chest, moving his body slightly, and said, "Wake up, Draco! Malfoy, wake up." He still did not wake.

Now she was worried.

She tried once more, practically jumping on his body, and he still didn't wake. She had no choice, she had to run for help, and the only person she could think of was Don.

Knocking on his door, she felt scared and anxious. Don answered and said, "Early, isn't it?"

She grabbed his hand, without explanation, and dragged him to her room. She pointed at Draco and said, "What did you do?"

"Excuse me?" Don asked, confused.

"He took your dreamless sleep draught last night, and now I can't wake him!" she answered.

Don walked swiftly over to the bed, and shook Draco's shoulder, yelling, "Draco, wake up!"

He turned to Hermione and said, "Where is the bottle? The bottle of potion?" Hermione pointed at the bedside table. It was empty, but still, Don pulled the cork off the top, and smelled. He said, "This isn't the sleep draught!"

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"Where did he get this?" Don asked.

"Answer my question!" Hermione shouted.

"NO!" Don shouted back, now shaking her shoulders, "TELL ME WHERE DID HE GET THIS!"

"From his office, he said you gave it to him!" Hermione cried out.

Don started pacing, back and forth, beside the bed, ranting to himself. Hermione could only make out words like "How?" and "I should have known."

Hermione stood in front of Don and said, "What is that? Will he wake up?"

"Yes, he'll wake up, but not for a good 72 hours or so," Don said impatiently. "Actually, if the bottle was full, he might be out for a week."

"What do you mean? What is that?" she asked, irritated.

"It's a potion I made for my mother to give Paul, just for the times he can't be controlled by the Imperius. It is very potent, and I do not know how Draco got this. I gave it to my mother, so there shouldn't have even been any here at school. The dreamless sleep potion I gave Draco was in a blue bottle! This is brown!" He threw the bottle on the floor, where it broke to pieces. Don started out of her room, to go search Draco's office. Hermione was on his tail.

As they ran down the hall together, she said, "But he will eventually wake, right? He will be okay?"

"Yes and no. Yes, he will wake, but no to the fact that he may have some memory loss. That's the side effect. We didn't worry about Paul losing his memory for it only affects short term memory, and we thought if he couldn't remember anything about Slytherin, then that would be fine, less trauma for him," Don concluded. He finally reached Draco's office and he looked inside. He found the blue bottle on Draco's desk. He held it up to Hermione. "Here it is. He must have gotten the other potion from my office."

"Are you calling me a liar?" Hermione challenged.

"No, I'm saying maybe Draco lied to you," Don volleyed back.

"Why would he want to knock himself out for days or even longer?" Hermione asked. "In fact, you said you didn't even have it at school, so how could he have gotten it from your office? Get your stories straight!"

"My stories straight?" Don asked.

Ignoring his indignation, Hermione said, "How would he even have known what it was?"

"He helped me make it, when we first came back. Maybe all of this has been too much for him," Don pondered, no longer as angry.

"Draco's a strong man! I think you did this on purpose," Hermione accused.

"Don't be stupid," Don said, pacing in front of Draco's desk.

"Don't call me stupid!" she shouted. She always hated to be called stupid.

"Hermione, I'm here to protect you, why would I do this?" Don asked.

"Why would he?" she asked back, practically screaming.

Don sat on Draco's desk and said, "Maybe he wanted to get away from your shrill for few days." He knew it was mean the moment he said it, and he was instantly sorry. He was even sorrier when Hermione's hand swept across his cheek in a resounding slap.

Don's hand went up to his face. "I deserved that, I'm sorry. I just don't know why you would think I would sabotage Draco."

Hermione looked deep in his eyes, and she felt remorse, for hitting him and for not trusting him. "This thing has me questioning everyone and everything. I'm so sorry, as well." She hung her head low.

"Did you really suspect me?" Don asked, sitting back on the desk. He wanted back on Hermione's good side, for she was someone whom he had grown to love as much as he loved his own family, and the fact that she suspected him of unfaithful behavior hurt him more than he would admit.

"Yes," she admitted. She desperately wanted to trust him. "Why is it necessary to keep Paul drugged?"

He sighed. "I'm not sure it is. My mother asked me to make the potion. She said that he has been borderline dangerous since Nick has been gone. She said that she and my dad don't have the heart to put him under the Imperius. I'm not sure why, but perhaps it's because it's their own son, and it is an 'unforgivable'." He stood back up and shut the office door. "Listen, Hermione, Don't even tell Nick this, but I'm having my doubts about whether Salazar's spirit is even in Paul anymore. I don't know if I believe it ever was, but then that would mean that I don't trust my own family." Hermione could see the guilt in his eyes.

"Don't tell Nick or your mother, either, but I feel the same way," she told him. "I also withheld information from you the other day, for I saw more with my vision than I admitted to you."

"Would you like to tell me now?" he asked.

She nodded. She told him about how Salazar had accomplished making Helga's Horcrux, and about how her vision stopped with Rowena's absence. "I do feel I need to get back to that chamber, so maybe we should go, without Draco or Nick."

"I happen to know that Draco will be sleeping for a few days, and Nick's easy enough to get rid of," he grinned. "I want to go with you, Hermione. We need to uncover the truth. I would suggest using the locket to recover more memories, but it's missing."

"Where is it?" she asked.

"I had it in my office. I was going to abstract the memory charm from it, but I had not gotten around to it yet. I went to work on it last night, and it was missing," Don said.

"That's strange," countered Hermione. Neither knew that Draco had taken the locket.

"Go upstairs, check on Draco again. I will get rid of Nick somehow, and meet me back down here, and we will go to the chamber," Don suggested.

Thirty minutes later, they were back in the dungeons. "Do you recall the way," Don asked.

"Yes. When I said I didn't recall, that was another lie to you," she said, smiling.

"I would think you were a Slytherin heir, instead of a Hufflepuff, the way you have become so adapt at lying," Don said seriously.

To the Chambers, they go:

She led him down through the labyrinth, also known as the dungeons. She took him down hallways he did not even know existed. They finally started down the long, wet corridor, which she had traveled just yesterday. They both lit their wands for light. Don could tell they were traveling downwards. The way was tight and cramped, and they were clearly wading through puddles of water. After a long trek, they reached the end. Hermione pointed toward a grate near the ceiling. The iron bars were old and rusted, from a steady flow of water, which apparently streamed through the opening at various times. He took a small piece of lint from his pocket, and transfigured it to a rope ladder.

"Impressive piece of transfiguration, Professor," Hermione praised.

"Coming from the transfiguration teacher, I take that as a compliment," he said.

He used magic to secure the rope ladder to the bars. He climbed to the top, and looked inside. He put his lit wand through the bars. He said, "Nothing too interesting." He climbed back down and said, "We need to remove the bars, and I will levitate you through, and then you can let me know what you see. I won't fit through there, and I don't want to use magic to make the hole bigger, because the wall may be fragile with age." She nodded in agreement. They removed the bars, and he levitated Hermione to the opening. She climbed in. He said, "Concentrate, and maybe you will remember something. I will stay quiet out here. Scream if you need me."

"Scream?" Hermione said. She shook her head at his choice of words, and walked around the small, circular chamber. It was not long before she could see Helga's memories just as clearly as she did the other day.

_Helga had no idea how much time had passed. She knew that both Salazar_ and_ Godric had come back to the chamber several times, to try spell after spell on the water, to try to determine where Helga had gone._

_She had given up on the thought that she would be found. When hope was lost, she sank on the floor of the tower, and gave way to the tears that had filled her mind, body and soul for so long. She should have trusted him. She should have told him she was pregnant. He would not have done this to her, if he had known. _

_She gave way to the tears, which led to slumber. When she awoke, she found herself in the comfort of a down mattress, and silk coverings. She sat up in the unfamiliar place, and tried to catch her bearings. It was light outside, for this room had ample windows. She threw off the covers. She was beginning to wonder if everything had been an elaborate dream, when she heard the door to the room open. In walked Rowena._

_Helga ran from the bed and threw her arms around her friend. "You rescued me!" she shouted, "But tell me, where are we?" Rowena smiled and led her back to the bed._

"_I will reveal all in due course. You are in my ancestral home. I thought it better to bring you here, than to your parent's home," Rowena revealed._

"_Where are Godric and Salazar? Were they upset when they found out that I was in a tower above them the whole time?"_

"_They didn't know where you were, and they will not, if I have my way. They won't know until your child is born," Rowena said._

"_What have you done?" Helga asked, realization crashing down on her._

"_Forgive me for not telling you my plan, but you are so trusting and honest. I feared you wouldn't go along with my deception," Ravenclaw said. "I found myself in Salazar's little secret chamber about a month ago. I had confided to him that one of our followers was not as he appeared. He turned out to be a very bad wizard. I went to him for help, for I knew Godric wouldn't truly help. He would want to give this man justice, when I wanted him dead. Salazar promised to take care of this man, if I would do a favour for him. He said that he was preparing a blood purity spell for you, but he was afraid of what it would reveal. He said that it didn't matter to him if you were pureblood or not, but he thought it would matter to you, for he said you wouldn't believe him if he said to you that it no longer mattered. Therefore, he asked for my help. He knew I was very clever, and he asked for a way he could deceive the spell, to reveal positive results, no matter what. I helped him, in exchange for this man's death. I had no idea at the time that he would use the man to create your Horcrux."_

_Helga was astonished. "How did you know he created my Horcrux?"_

"_I heard him tell Godric, right after you disappeared," Rowena said._

_Helga put her hand to her forehead, and said, "Please, tell me everything you know."_

"_I didn't believe him when he said that blood purity didn't matter to him. Maybe I should have, but I didn't. I still feared for you, and your baby. I knew that even if your blood tested pure, you, being the honest loving creature that you are, you would reveal to him your heritage. I thought he would take it badly. That is when I planned for your escape from the underground well. I knew he was going to create your Horcrux, and I knew it had something to do with that blasted water and it's magical properties."_

"_When he threw you in, I was waiting. I had already 'explored' his chamber, without his knowledge, and I found that the grate under the spring led to another chamber, which led to this turret. I provided you with the space under the grate to escape. I provided the green light to guide your way. I revealed the secret doorways to you that led to the tower. I had everything in place before it happened. Then, I rescued you from the tower."_

"_You see, I followed you, when you went to tell Salazar goodbye. I knew he would take his last chance to perform the blood purity test, and to create your Horcrux. I used Godric's invisibility cloak," Rowena said._

"_Godric has an invisibility cloak?" Helga asked._

"_Yes, and I saw that everything I thought would happen did, so I was glad I put the safeguards in place. You followed the green light, as I hoped, and escaped."_

"_But Salazar and Godric are both in turmoil! They think I have perished! They are worried for you as well." Helga stood. "We must tell them!"_

"_No, I don't think we should, not until your child is born. Then, we will return to them. We will still pretend that I found the child. We will see if Salazar's feelings are sincere. If I am convinced that he will not harm you or the child, then we will tell him the truth. If not, then we won't," Rowena explained._

"_And where shall we tell them we were for five months?" Helga asked._

"_Leave that to me," Rowena said. Helga was tired. She knew Rowena had a point, for she knew that Salazar's hatred for half bloods and Muggle borns ran deep. Just because he told Rowena, he did not care if Helga was half blood or less, did not mean that he would feel the same way about his own child. She was sure he would only want pureblood children. It was a good idea to wait, but she didn't want either of her friends to suffer. "Can't we just tell them we are safe?" she finally asked._

_Rowena went over to a desk, and withdrew parchment and quill. She laughed and said, "I knew you would want to do that. Just don't let them know where we are, and don't mention my part in your escape." Rowena left the room and Helga sat down to write the letter._

Hermione shook her head, and wondered how much time had passed. Her latest vision confused her as much as all her others. Why would Rowena go to such extremes? Did it have something to do with her coveting Helga's child? Did she have the gift of second sight as well? Did she know something about this child, and its future, that she felt she needed to keep from Helga?

Suddenly aware of time and place, Hermione noticed that the underground tributary was overflowing its makeshift banks. She said, "Don, why do you suppose there's water on the floor out in the hallway, when the water doesn't reach that high?" There was no answer. She frowned. She walked closer to the grate. "Don?" she asked again. Suddenly, the small opening she had just entered now closed, by something unknown. Hermione could only tell that the place that originally was covered in iron bars was now inexplicably covered with stone. She screamed, "DON!" She looked around with her wand, and saw that the water was slowly rising.


	28. Part XXVIII

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXVIII:**

Hermione's Drowning:

The water was rising, higher and higher. Hermione called for Don until her voice was gone. The water was so cold, colder than any water Hermione had ever felt. The water was almost to the ceiling of the chamber. Hermione was going to die, and no one would know. Maybe that is why she had all those drowning dreams. Maybe she foresaw her own death.

The water was just a meter from the top and all the air would soon be gone. Hermione was fatigued from treading water, and was about to give up, when a trap door appeared. A trap door. Just like the trap door in her vision. She pushed hard, with one hand, the other holding her wand, moving back and forth to help her stay afloat. She pushed it open, and pulled herself inside. There was a small, circular room. Was this the top of the tower? No, it was not. There was an archway, and stairs, leading upwards. She was tired, cold, and afraid, but she walked up these stairs, and went to the top of the tower. If it were the same as in her dream, there would be a window.

As soon as she reached the top, she realized something. This castle, the one with the tower, the one from her dream, the one she was apparently in at this very moment, no longer existed. It was mere ruins. The only thing that was intact was the underground chamber, and Aurors were still guarding it. How could she possibly be walking around a tower that probably disappeared hundreds and hundreds of years ago? She did not care. Either she was delusional, dead, or something else, but right now, she did not care. She needed to lie down and rest. That was what she did. She dried her clothes and hair, transfigured her sweater to a coat, and shut her eyes, to sleep.

She was still asleep, she was sure, but someone was in the room with her. She sat up, and lit her wand. She didn't see anyone. Her mind was playing tricks on her. She closed her eyes again, and she willed herself to sleep. At least if she was asleep, she wouldn't be able to think about the peril she was facing, alone in a tower that doesn't even exist.

She shut her eyes again, when she heard a voice. It was a male's voice. He said, "You should wake up."

She kept her eyes shut, and told the phantom voice, "I'm so tired."

"Do not shut your eyes," the man warned.

"Are you real?" she asked, eyes still shut.

"I'm not sure," he said.

She lit her wand again, and sitting by the circular stone wall, at the far end of the small tower, was a man. At least, he appeared to be a man. He was almost more like an 'outline' of a man. Hermione strained her eyes and said, "You look familiar."

"So do you," he said.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm not sure I should tell you. Who are you?" he asked.

Hermione tried to sit up, but her head hurt so badly. She stayed on the ground, shut her eyes again, and said, "Why should I tell you, if you won't tell me?"

"Such insolence," he said to her. "I shall tell you, but you must not be afraid."

"I have news for you, I am already afraid," Hermione interrupted.

"Please, don't be afraid. I will try to help you," he said, concerned.

Hermione opened her eyes once more, and tried to focus on the man. She suddenly recognized the face. No…it couldn't be. "Salazar Slytherin?" she asked.

"Yes, it is I," he said.

Hermione shut her eyes tightly again and said, "I am dreaming, I am dreaming, you aren't real!"

"You may be right, I'm not sure," he told her.

Hermione opened her eyes again and said, "You should be dead. You lived a thousand years ago."

"And yet, here I am," he said. "What is your name?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Hello, Hermione. You are the one who released me from my prison, aren't you?"

"I guess so. Sorry about that," Hermione said, although that seemed like an inadequate and silly thing to say.

"I will help you get out of here, if you promise to help me, Hermione Granger," he said.

She sat up, her head still spinning. She fell back to the ground. He started toward her, concerned, but stayed by the wall. He said, "Don't try to get up yet."

"What can I promise you?" Hermione asked, "I have already been trying very hard to help you and Helga, but I don't know how."

"What do you mean, what do you know about Helga?" he asked.

"I released her soul from the cylinder, when I released yours from the cup," she explained.

"Thank you for that, but that's not what I meant," he said. "Promise me that you will not trust Ravenclaw."

"Rowena Ravenclaw died many centuries ago," Hermione said.

"That's not whom I meant. I can't reveal all, for I don't really know much, but don't trust what others tell you. Trust you own heart, and Hermione, please, try to help Helga," he said.

"I will, if I can. May I tell you something?" she asked.

"What?" he asked back.

"Did you know that Helga was pregnant with your child?" she asked.

The man didn't speak for many long moments. He finally said, "I suspected as much. Please, help me to find my child."

"I'm sorry, but your child would be long dead as well," Hermione said.

"Then help me to find my descendant, and I will help you," he asked.

"Are you even real, or just in my mind?"

"Even if I'm in your mind, that doesn't mean I'm not real. You help me and I'll help you. I will come to you again, when you are stronger," he said.

"No, please don't, not again," she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked her.

"You used to come to me every night, and you hurt me, please, don't hurt me again." Hermione began to cry.

"My dear girl, I would never hurt you, and I have never hurt you. This is the very first time I have come to you. I have been aware of you, but I have never come until now, for you didn't need me until now. That's what I mean by not trusting Ravenclaw. Now, if I come back to you, you will know that I shall not hurt you. Please, you need to stay awake though, for help is arriving for you."

"I'm too tired, I must sleep," Hermione shut her eyes.

"If you sleep, you die. If you die, my hope dies with you. Stay awake," he urged, with a sharp tongue.

"Please, let me sleep. It couldn't hurt to sleep for a moment," she said.

"Yes, it will, for if you sleep, you will drown," he told her, "for this tower only exist in your mind. You are still in the water, floating on a piece of driftwood. I will stay with you until your friends come, but you must promise me to stay awake. You are strong, you can do this. You are a descendant of my fair Hufflepuff. You are as strong as she."

"I really am a descendant of hers?" Hermione asked, incredulously.

"Yes, I know that much of their story to you is true. Stay awake, little one," he said.

"Little one?" she asked. Draco. She had to stay awake for Draco.

Don's Angry:

Don was standing outside the grate. Hermione had been in there for a very long time. He started to pace, he did that when he was upset, and when he walked back toward the grate it was gone! It had just disappeared. It was there a minute ago, old iron bars, water stains down the stones, the rope ladder they had transfigured still attached, but now, nothing. The rope ladder laid on the floor, the water stains still on the wall, water still up to his ankles on the floor, but no grate, and as far as he knew, no Hermione. How could he let her go in there by herself? He was such a fool. He used his wand and tried to blast a hole in the wall, something he should have done the first time, but his spell seemed to rebound right off the wall.

He had to go get help. It was Saturday morning, and Bill Weasley usually spent the weekends at home, but maybe he was still here. Don started running down the narrow passageway, turning left, right, left. He stopped for a moment, and had the presence of mind to mark his way, so he would be able to get back to her. Every few steps, he marked a yellow 'x' on the wall. After many long minutes, he reached a familiar corridor. He ran up to Bill Weasley's room. He wasn't there. He didn't want to tell Nick, but he needed help!

He ran toward Neville's room. As he reached the door, he saw Neville walking down the corridor with none other than Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. "Don, hello!" Harry called out. "Have you seen Hermione this morning? We stopped by for a surprise visit this morning, and we haven't been able to locate her."

Don ran up to them, and Harry had never seen the man more panicked. He said, "Come on, Hermione's in trouble!" He ran back toward the dungeons, and without asking what was going on, the other three men followed.

Once in the narrow passageway, Don explained everything to them during their trek to the secret chamber. He didn't know what they were privy to, so he started with what happened at Christmas, and ended with Draco taking the wrong potion and Hermione and him going to the secret chamber. "Draco will be so upset when he wakes up," Ron said.

"He might not even remember her, that's the rub," Don said. "I think he took way too much of that potion. There shouldn't be any lasting damage, but the longer someone sleeps, the more short term memory they lose."

Following his previously marked trail, the men all lit their wands. They were now splattering through ankle high water. "We are almost there," Don stated. When they reached the very end of the passage, the grate was once again there.

"Lift me up," Harry said. Don did better than that. He transfigured another rope ladder, secured it on the bars, and once again removed the middle bars. Harry, who was still too large to fit through, would at least be able to see if she was there.

He climbed the ladder, and hooked one arm over the stones. He pointed his wand in the room. The water was still very high. "The whole room is filled with water," Harry said. He shouted, "HERMIONE!" There was no response. He thought he saw her floating, holding onto a piece of wood. He said, "I think I see her! We have to find another way in, or blast this damn wall down!"

"Get down, Harry," Don said. As soon as Harry got off the rope ladder, Don tried to blast a hole again, but it was still no use. His spell still ricocheted off the wall. The men all ducked to escape harm.

"There's another way. We have to go to the excavation site. The Aurors are still guarding it. Do you think you gentlemen are up to disarming some Aurors, seeing that you are both in training to be Aurors yourself?" Don asked.

"Lead the way," Harry said.

"Neville, stay here, in case we can't get in, and she somehow comes back. If we don't return in one hour, come and find us," Don said. Neville agreed.

Ron, Harry, and Don all ran back toward the stairs that would lead to the main doors, so they could go to the excavation site.

They ended up telling the Auror's what happened. They agreed to help. They all entered the underground chamber, and they tried to remove the water from the spring, but every time they removed the water, more appeared, just as it did in Hermione's vision.

Finally, Harry got an ideal. He sent Ron to tell Neville that he needed some Gillyweed, just as he used in the tri-wizard tournament. Neville arrived an hour later, with the plant. Harry used the Gillyweed, and swam down the underground spring, to the grate. He used magic to remove the bars. Soon, he was emerging to the top of the other side of the chamber. He saw Hermione, floating along on a piece of plywood, holding on for dear life, tired, lips blue, but awake and alive.

She didn't even have the strength to speak. Harry swam over to her, and said, "You will be fine now. I have you." He used a spell to put her in a deep sleep, and then he swam as fast as he could back to the other side, and brought her to the surface. Don reached down and brought her up to the floor. Harry woke her up, but she was barely awake. She was so tired, so exhausted. She said, "Where's Draco."

Don said, "Did you forget? He's still asleep." Don picked her up, and they took her to the hospital wing.

Draco Wakes Up:

A week had past, Hermione was still in the hospital, and Draco was still asleep. They had moved him to the hospital wing as well, to keep a close watch over him. That morning, Hermione's and Draco's world was about to be turned upside down, and all because he finally woke up.

It was very early, shortly after dawn. Don Boot was sitting by Hermione's bed. Draco woke up, and sat up in his bed. He said aloud, "Where am I?"

Don walked over to the bed and said, "Draco, what is the last thing you remember?"

"Who the hell are you?" Draco asked.

"My name is Don Boot, and I am a teacher here at Hogwarts, which is where you are at the moment. I also happen to be your best friend," Don said, exasperated.

"I don't know you, or to what you are referring," Draco said, trying to stand. He felt dizzy from being in bed for a week, so he sat back down. "You say I'm at Hogwarts?" Draco asked.

"Yes, you are a professor here as well," Don said.

"What? I'm not a professor. I'm a student," Draco said.

"No, you are a professor. Do you know what year it is?" Don asked.

"1997?" Draco asked.

"Good lord," was all Don said.

"What year is it?" Draco asked.

"You are no longer 17, Draco. You are almost 21 years old. You are a professor at Hogwarts. I can't explain much more right now, you are just going to have to trust me," Don said. He went back to sit by Hermione's bed. She was sleeping.

"Who's that?" Draco asked, pointing toward Hermione's bed.

"Hermione Granger," Don answered.

"What's the Mudblood doing here?" Draco asked, with a snide expression.

"The Mudblood almost died, and she is a professor here as well," Don said. He didn't want to inundate Draco with too much information at once. "Please, don't call her a Mudblood, either."

"Fine," Draco said. He turned his back toward the man, and started to brood. He didn't know what was going on, but he would find out. He decided to owl his mother.

Later that day, Draco was sitting at his bed, eating lunch, when Hermione finally woke up. She called out, "Draco?"

"What?" Draco asked.

She sat up and said, "How are you doing? When did you wake up?"

"Why do you care, Mudblood," Draco asked.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Just leave me alone. I'm trying to figure out what's going on, and I don't want to talk to you right now," Draco said.

Don walked in, hearing their conversation. He said, "Draco, if you call her a Mudblood once more, I will hex your balls off." He walked over to Hermione, who looked so sad, that it broke Don's heart.

Don sat on her bed, and stroked her cheek. Draco regarded them curiously. They must be dating or something. He had to admit, Hermione Granger had turned into a beautiful woman. If it was true that he was three years older than he thought, and was now a professor here, which had to be true since his own mother had written him to tell him so, then maybe he wasn't enemies with Granger anymore. He would be 'cordial' to her. Cordial. What made him think of that word?

Draco remembered something, a conversation with Granger.

"**You're** **the** **one** **to** **determine** **how** **people** **treat** **you**; **by** **the** **way** **you** **treat** **them**. **I'm willing to let bygones be bygones, and be cordial, if you are willing to do the same," she stated.**

He looked back over to Hermione and this Don fellow. He was still hugging her and she was softly crying. He wondered why she was crying.

A few hours past, and Hermione received many visitors. Draco had to endure Scarhead and Weasel visiting her, as well as the Headmistress. Draco was upset when he learned that the 'head' was now McGonagall, and that Snape had died. Some fellow named Nick visited her, as well as Longbottom. He was sitting in his bed, waiting for the Medi-witch to tell him he could leave, reading, as he looked back over at her. She was now resting, with her back to him.

"Granger," Draco said. He didn't even know what he wanted to say to her.

Without looking at him, she said, "What?"

"Are we friends now?" Draco asked.

"No," she said.

"Oh, I didn't think so," he said, although he had hoped so.

She turned to look at him and he was still reading. She said, "What are you reading?"

"Lord of the Rings," he said.

"You've read that one before," she said.

"How would you know?" he asked.

"We've even had this conversation before," she said, sighing.

He looked at her funny and then said, "Let's not waste our time and have it again, then."

"Fine," she said. She sunk back in her bed and closed her eyes.

"Why are you here?" Draco asked. "That Don man said you almost died."

"I almost drowned," she said.

"Oh." He didn't know what else to say.

"Too bad I didn't die, aye Malfoy, another Mudblood gone wouldn't mean anything, would it?" she asked. She started to cry again.

"Listen here, Granger," Draco said, throwing his book down, and coming over to her bed, "I won't call you that anymore, all right, but don't be a bitch."

She turned to face the other way, her sobs still racking her body. He sat down on the edge of the bed. He had an overwhelming urge to hold her, and he didn't know why.

He had another flash of memory. It was Hermione, telling him:

"**You know you won't get Mudblood germs just by touching my shoulder."**

He reached out and touched her shoulder. She turned her head and said, "What are you doing?"

"I won't get Mudblood germs just by touching your shoulder," he said, repeating the words he heard in his mind. She sat up.

"What?" she asked, urgently. Was he remembering?

"Nothing, sorry, Granger," he said. He went back to his bed, picked up his book, and started to read. She lay back down and continued to cry. He stole a look at her, whenever he could. He wished he could remember.

Later that evening, Madame Pomfrey told Draco he could leave tomorrow morning. He was debating on whether to stay at Hogwarts or to go back to the Manor. He heard the Medi-witch tell Hermione that she needed to stay for a few more days. She made a joke to Hermione that she didn't know who had spent the most time in the hospital wing in the last few years, her or Draco. Hermione laughed. Draco wondered what the old woman meant by that.

Hermione was sitting in her bed, reading. She reached over to her bedside table to retrieve her water, when her book fell off the bed. She sighed, and pulled back her covers, to get out of bed, to get her book from the floor.

Before her feet could touch the floor, Draco was there, and he had already picked up her book. "Here you go, Granger."

"Thanks, Draco," Hermione said.

Draco sat on the side of her bed and said, "I don't remember you ever calling me Draco before, but yet that's the second time you've said it today."

"Actually, we still call each other Malfoy and Granger as much as we call each other Hermione and Draco," she said, hoping he would soon remember. They had all decided not to push the memories on him, but to let him recover them on his own.

"So, we are friends, even though earlier you said we weren't?" he asked.

"I didn't say we weren't," she said, confused.

"I asked if we were friends now, and you said no," he pointed out.

She forgot she said that. She meant that they were much more than friends. She didn't know what to say to remedy the situation. She finally said, "I was being short with you. I'm sorry. We are friends."

"I felt that we might be," he said, "I'm sorry I called you Mudblood earlier," he said. He recalled another piece of his memory:

"**Is this the way you felt every time I called you that name?" he really did wonder. "Yes, it has never failed to wound my heart," she said, poetically.**

He got up from the bed and said, "Goodnight, Hermione. I hope you feel better soon."

"Goodnight, Malfoy, I hope you remember soon. I really, really do." She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

He walked over to his bed, and pulled back the covers. Hermione continued to read. Draco's hand went inexplicably to a necklace around his neck. He reached up, and unclasped it, to look at it. He had another memory:

**He opened a box and there was a long silver chain, and on the end of the chain were the initials, "H & D". He took it out of the box, held it up and looked at her with a look of surprise. **

He wondered why he had a necklace, which appeared to be from Hermione, and which had both of their initials. He put the necklace back on, and looked back over at Hermione.

She extinguished the lantern near her bed, and pulled up her covers. He sat on the edge of his bed for many long moments, just watching her. He didn't know why, but he had the inescapable need to make sure she was okay. He watched her until she finally went to sleep, and then, and only then, did he extinguish his light, and pull up his covers, and shut his eyes.


	29. Part XXIX

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXIX: February:**

Classes Resume:

Hermione was discharged from the hospital, and classes resumed. Draco was no closer to remembering than he was two weeks previously. He was even taken to St. Mungos by his concerned Mother, but they said the potion must simply 'wear off'. It was hard for Hermione, to pass Draco in the hallway, or the teacher's wing, and not speak to him, hold him, kiss him. She thought it would have been easier if he had decided to go back to the Manor, but he did not. He decided to stay at the school. He even started studying for his exams, although there was no way he would be prepared to take them in March now.

Being the cold February that it was, Hermione spent most of her time indoors. She had spent a lot of time in the Library, doing research on the founders, not that anything was helping her to conclude this mystery. She had no idea how to help "Slytherin" and so far, nothing out of the way, or special had happened to anyone, so no more clues were forthcoming. Nick had wanted to try all sorts of things again, Don vetoed hypnosis, legilimens, everything Nick suggested. He wanted everything to come about naturally.

On one bitter Sunday morning, Hermione found herself outside. She wanted to go to the site. She should not go by herself, but she felt compelled. She was walking past the lake, when she spotted Malfoy. He was sitting on a rather large rock, staring into the frozen ice of the lake. As Hermione was walking past, he turned to look at her.

"Walking by without saying Hello, Granger?' he said.

"I didn't want to disturb you," she said, truthfully.

He stood up and walked over to her. "Where are you headed?"

"Just taking a walk," she lied.

"You aren't headed to that excavation site over that hill, are you?" he asked.

Hermione guarded him wearily, and said, "How do you know about the site?" Was he beginning to remember?

"Don Boot filled me in on the mystery that is going on with us. He said two people died at that site. You should probably stay away. He said that's why you almost died, and indirectly, that's why I lost my memory," Draco explained.

Hermione wondered how much Don really told him, but before she could prod further, Draco answered her unasked question, "I have been trying to figure out why this thing would affect us both, and why you and I would work together on this thing. We must have been pretty good friends, after all."

"Sure, very good friends," she said, sadly. "Well, I'll leave you to your thoughts," she said. She started back toward the castle, no longer wanting to go to the site.

"Wait, Granger," he said. She turned back around.

"Did you give me this?" he asked, pulling the necklace out from underneath his coat.

"Yes," she said.

"It's our initials," he said.

"Smart boy, aren't you," she said, rather flippantly.

"Why would I wear something with your initial?" he asked, taking a few steps closer to her.

"I am supposed to let you remember by yourself," she said.

"That's stupid," he said upset. "It's my life; I have a right to know what happened in it."

"Perhaps," she said. She sat on the rock he abandoned. He sat beside her. They had sat on this rock before.

"You are very pretty, you know," he said. He did not know why he said that, and he was suddenly embarrassed.

"Thank you," she said, looking up at him.

"Have we ever kissed?" he asked her, looking right in her eyes.

"Yes," she answered slowly.

_**Flashback:**_

_**He reached up for her face, as she was once again looked at the ground. Her cheeks were still damp from either tears or rain. He held her face, stroking it with his thumb.**_

_**She suddenly felt unsteady on her feet. She honestly thought she might, "swoon", so she did the only thing she could do to steady herself, she put one hand on his arm. That's the only reason.**_

_**He put his other hand up and touched her wet hair, and then put it on her shoulder. They just stood there, staring at each other, for what seemed to be a lifetime. Her mouth was dry, and her lips open. He wanted to touch those lips. He felt an imaginary string was pulling him to her; he bent his head, with his eyes still on hers. She came slightly closer, and because of his close proximity, she had to raise her head slightly, to look at his face. **_

_**Hermione was so nervous. Was Draco going to kiss her? She wanted him to. Should she do something? She closed her eyes, and as soon as she did, she felt his slightly dry lips gently touch her own. He applied just minimal pressure, as he pulled her closer to him. He put both his arms around her waist, and she put hers in front of her, and rested them on his chest. He moved his lips slightly, opening them a fraction, but then he removed them all too soon. **_

_**He still held her close, so she did what felt natural, and she turned her head to the side and rested it on his chest. She felt that her arms and legs were made of lead, as she relaxed into his body. Her lips were tingling, and she was slightly embarrassed. He tightened his arms around her body, stroking her back with one hand, and started slowly swaying back and forth.**_

_**Did Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy really just kiss? Draco thought it was a nice little kiss, all things considering. He wanted to hold her just like this forever, but his brain won the fight with his heart, and he pushed away from her. He dropped his arms, but reached for her hands with both of his. She was forced from his chest, and she looked up at him and expelled the breath she had been holding.**_

_**She licked her bottom lip and he gave her a lopsided grin. "You should put on some dry clothes and then we can go down to dinner," he said.**_

"_**What just happened here, Malfoy?" Hermione asked pensively.**_

"_**Well, I might be mistaken, but I believe we just kissed," he explained. "After all, if everyone already thinks that's what we do when we are alone, we might as well give it a go." He was smiling, so she knew he was joking with her.**_

_**She looked at the floor and said, "Why did you kiss me?"**_

"_**You kissed me as well," he said, in defense, dropping her hands and leaning with his back up against her door. Was she upset?**_

_**She turned around and walked over to look out the window. He was beginning to wonder if he had made an error. Was she regretting kissing him? He walked up to the window as well, where the rain drops appeared to be in a race with one another, to see which one could reach the bottom of the window first. They both pretended to be fascinated with the rain on the window. He put his right hand up to the cold, smooth glass, and then his left, essentially trapping her between his arms. She turned suddenly and threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him tightly. He removed his hands from the glass and placed them again around her body. She whispered in his ear, "Don't worry, it wasn't a mistake."**_

As she remembered their first kiss, Draco said, "I wish I could remember kissing you. I bet it was nice."

She smiled and said, "It was, very nice." She stood up, and said, "I think I will head to Hogsmeade. I have a few things I need, a few supplies. I will see you later, Draco."

She started to walk away and he said, "Would you like company on your walk?"

"That would be very nice," she said. They started walking together, toward the front gates. She felt nervous, and she had butterflies in her stomach, almost like the first time they walked to Hogsmeade together. She looked up at him every few seconds, and twice he met her gaze.

"Why do you keep looking at me, Granger?" he asked.

"Sorry." She looked down at the road.

"It's okay, you can look at me, I was just wondering why," he said.

"The first time we walked to Hogsmeade together was on my birthday, and I was just recalling that walk, that's all. That was over two years ago," she recalled.

As they walked, he had another memory flashed before his eyes. The memory of the day she had just spoken.

_**Flashback:  
**_

"_**I made you laugh. That's my present to you," he said. He thought that one up quickly, but decided it made a lot of sense. **_

"_**Thanks, Malfoy," she said, still grinning, now walking beside him, "that's the nicest thing I've been given so far, well, it's the only thing I've been given so far, but still, it's nice. Now I know what to give you for your birthday."**_

_**He watched her walking slightly in front of him and smiled. She had already given him a gift with her laughter, and it was not even yet his birthday.**_

Hogsmeade:

They made common courtesy type of conversation, the type two acquaintances who barely knew each other would make. He commented that it was cold, she agreed. She asked him how his studying was coming and he said it was hard. They had reached the village, and entered the first store. Hermione removed her coat, and gloves, putting her gloves in the pockets of the coat, and her coat over her arm.

She looked around for some new quills, when Draco noticed a locket on her neck. He came up to her, and put the locket in his hand. His close proximity, and the fact that he would just pick the locket up off her chest surprised them both. He let it drop back down to her chest, and asked, "Where did you get that locket?"

"I got it this Christmas, from London," she said.

"Did someone buy it for you?" he asked.

"Why?" she wanted to know.

"It just seemed familiar," he said. "I think I've seen it before."

"You have, you picked it out, you bought it for me," she said. He picked it back up off her chest, and opened the locket, to reveal their portraits. Something made him turn it over, to look at the back. It was inscribed. It said, "_To my future wife, I will love you forever, Draco."_

He seemed alarmed and dropped it once again to her chest. "Why would that say to my future wife, love Draco."

"Because we are engaged," she answered.

"No, that can't be. I wouldn't be engaged to you," he said suddenly.

"Why, because I'm Muggle-born?" she asked, already upset. She took the locket off, and picked up his gloved hand. She put it in his hand and said, "Here you go, Malfoy, you can give it to your next future wife." She started to put her coat back on and started out the door.

"Wait," he begged, running up and turning her around to face him. "I was just shocked when you said we were engaged."

"We are engaged, not were," Hermione corrected, but added, "Although, I don't know anymore. Maybe it is a past tense. Here," and she took off her ring as well. She held it out for him.

"Is that your engagement ring?" he asked.

"No, it's yours, take it." She picked up his hand again, and put it with the locket. She turned and walked out of the store. As she was walking back down the lane, she was trying to put her coat on, but she couldn't get her arm in the sleeve, and she was cursing under her breath.

He ran up to her and said, "How do you get by in life, if you can't even put on a coat." He helped her put her coat on her arm. "Don't run away, Granger. This is just a shock to my system. The last thing I recall I was 17 years old, a seventh year student at Hogwarts, Voldemort was in power, and you were only someone I once knew. Let me have time to process everything."

She knew he had a point. She looked up at his handsome face, and she smiled. He said, "You are so cold, your nose is red."

"That's one of the nicest things you have ever said to me," she joked.

"I must have been a horrible boyfriend, I mean, fiancé then," he said back to her. "Please, take your things back." He held out the locket and the ring.

She said, "I'll take the locket, but why don't you keep the ring, and when you remember me, and if you want to marry me, then you can give it back to me."

He shrugged and put the ring in his inside coat pocket. He handed her the locket. She said, "It's too bad we don't have the Slytherin/Hufflepuff locket. That could help you remember."

"The what?" he asked.

"Oh, it's a locket that belonged to your family, and you gave it to me, but Nick Boot put a memory charm on it, so Don confiscated it. Now, we don't know where it is, but if we had it, you could try it on, and maybe you would remember me," she finished. She shrugged and said, "We will just have to hope you remember on your own." She then told him all about the locket, and about what she saw when she put it on at Christmas. She told him the incantation that had to be said, and she also told him how Don said that sometimes when people uncover especially painful memories, they are too traumatized to wake up.

He thought about what she said. He knew what locket she was referring. He was shocked that he would have given such a valuable family heirloom to her. He knew where the locket was. It was back in his room. He might have to try to use it tonight, to help him remember.

"Granger, would you like to go out on a date with me tonight," he suddenly asked.

"A date?" she asked.

"Yes, you know, two people, going out, having fun, eating food, holding hands, kiss goodnight. I mean, if we are engaged, surely we have already done all of those things at one time or another, so let us try it again. Maybe it will help me remember," he clarified.

She felt like hugging him, but she did not. "Fine, Draco Malfoy. Let us go on a date tonight. Pick me up at my room at 7pm." She turned to walk back in the store, and he took her hand.

"You are a bossy little thing, aren't you?" he said.

"Perhaps," she agreed, leading him back in the store.

On the way back to the castle, he still had her hand. He did not know why, but it felt as if it was right. That was the way things were supposed to be. He looked down at her, and said, "I wish you would have let me buy you those quills."

"I have money," she said.

"Probably not much," he said.

She stopped. She said, "I have my own money, and my parents are very well off as well."

"Have I met your parents?" he asked.

"Yes, and my mother and you love each other, but my father just sort of tolerates you," she lied. Her father liked him as well.

That worried him a bit. He said, "Does my mother like you?"

"I think so," she said.

"What about my father?" he asked.

She stopped and said, "Draco, did you mother tell you about your father, when you saw her?"

"She said he was away on business," Draco said, "Although, what sort of business would send him out of the country?"

"Draco, you father is in Azkaban again," Hermione said. He frowned. She hurried and added, "But, he only has two more years to his sentence. I do not know if he knows about us or not. You never talk about him to me. You write to him sometimes, but I don't know what you have told him."

He started walking again. He did not know what to say to that.

A Date and Some Memories:

Draco stopped by Hermione's room at 6:50 pm. He was early, he knew, but he was nervous, and he was close to having a panic attack, so he decided to just come on to her room. He knocked on her door. She opened. She looked so pretty. She had on a red knitted sweater set, a black skirt, and her hair was up. She said, "I didn't know where we were going, am I too dressed up?"

"No, you look nice," he said. That was an understatement.

He held out his hand, and she took it. He walked down to his room. He opened the door. "Here we are," he said.

"Your room?" she asked.

"Is that okay?" he asked, "It doesn't mean anything. I just thought we could have a nice quiet dinner. Nothing more, nothing less."

"No, this is fine," she said. He had a table set up by his fireplace. Their food was already on the table. He pulled out a chair for her and she sat down. He went to the other side, and sat as well.

He said, "What did we do for our first date?"

She laughed and said, "That's debatable. You still claim our first date was a walk around the lake, where you knocked me over, tried to kiss me, and Neville rescued me. Our real first date was chaperoning the Halloween dance."

He took a bite of his steak and said, "Did we kiss that night? Was that our first kiss?"

"No, we kissed before that, but we also kissed that night," she said. He raised an eyebrow and she said, "What can I say? You are a randy little bugger."

"And you must be a trollop," he laughed. She threw a roll at him. He took a bite of the roll and said, "Have we slept together, I mean, I'm assuming we have, but you never know. You seem like a prude to me."

She glared at him and said, "I can't be a scarlet woman and a prude. Take your pick."

"Answer my question," he said.

"Yes, we've slept together, quite a few times," she said. She knew she was blushing and she did not know why. This was Draco. It was okay to talk to him about these things, yet in a way, this was their first date.

"When was the first time?" he asked.

"For goodness sakes, is this all we are going to talk about tonight?" she asked.

"I need to uncover my past," he smiled.

She shook her head, sighed, and said, "The first time was at Christmas, two years ago, and before you ask me, yes, it was my first time ever, okay?"

"Was it nice," he asked softly. She looked down at her plate. He said, "I guess not, since you can't even look at me."

She looked up and said, "It was amazing. You were so kind and gentle. You were a very giving lover."

He was glad for that.

They finished eating, as he asked her more questions. "When are we getting married? What do we like to do together? What is your favourite colour?"

When they finished with the question and answer portion of the date, they moved over to sit on his bed. They sat side by side, and he said, "This was nice."

"Yes, it was actually. I thought it would be awkward, or painful, because I thought I would be too sad, but it was perfect. Thanks," she said. She looked down at his hand, on his lap, and she put it in hers. He took their entwined hands, and brought them to his mouth. He kissed the top of her hand.

"I think I know why I probably love you," he said.

"You remember?" she asked, hopefully.

"No, but even if I never remember, I would still love you."

She looked down at the floor, and tears filled her eyes. He looked over at her and he brought one hand up to wipe away a wayward tear. "Don't cry, Hermione, it will be okay. Hey, I was just wondering, do I have a nickname or a pet name for you?"

She looked over at him and said, "You call me little one."

"Really?" He liked that. "What do you call me?"

"Idiot, Prat, Moron, Git, Arse-hole…" she was stopped by his hand covering her mouth.

"Maybe this time around, you could pick something a little more endearing," he stated.

She removed his hand from her mouth and said, "I'll work on that." His hand went back to her face, and caressed her cheek. He leaned closer and kissed the same cheek, softly.

She was shaking all over. He put his arms around her. "Don't be scared. I will remember. I know I will." She put her arms around his neck, and climbed on his lap.

"I just love you so much," she said. She kissed his mouth, playing with his lips, teasing him and when she pulled away, she said, "I've missed you."

"This will sound silly, since I've only been aware of our relationship for a short time, but I've missed you, too," he said. He fell back on the bed, pulling her back with him. They laid their heads on the pillow, and stared at each other. Her hands went hesitantly to his face, touching him everywhere. His hands went to her face as well, and he leaned in and kissed her again. "So, we've had sex, huh?"

She laughed and said, "Yes, Malfoy, we've had sex."

"Just making sure," he said again, kissing a small line from her cheek to her mouth, then back to her jaw line, and then sucking on her neck. "This is insane. I am kissing Hermione Granger. Is the world flat as well? Is the moon made of cheese? Those two things seem more likely than this, but yet, this seems right." He kissed her again, opening her pliant mouth under his, and licking her lips, in a circle, before introducing his tongue in her mouth. He moved to his back and pulled her on top of him. Hermione pushed away and he said, "What, no sleeping together on a first date? Because if you want to get technical, our first date was the afternoon trip to Hogsmeade."

She sat up and said, "You already are confused as to when our real first date is, don't muck up your mind with this fake first date." She moved her feet to the floor, stood up, and said, "I really should go. We need to take this slow, for if your memories return to quickly, it might be traumatic for you."

He nodded and joined her by the side of the bed. He touched her shoulder, and moved his hand down to grasp her hand. "Goodnight, Granger. I know things will be better in the morning."

"I hope so. Goodnight," she said, kissing his cheek and leaving his room.

He made sure she was gone, and then he grabbed the antique locket from his desk drawer. He put it on his neck, and said the incantation she told him earlier.

The memories came rushing to him:

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_**He crossed his legs and his foot accidentally knocked into hers. He didn't look up, for if he had he would have seen her glare, but he simply said, "Pardon", and continued to read.**_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_**He came up to her and actually started pulling her on her arm. "Come on, don't stop now. The end's in sight." She honestly felt she could no longer move. He stopped pulling on her arm, and came up behind her and started pushing on her back, "Up you go, Granger. Gee, you're heavier than you look."**_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_**Draco drew back his fist to hit Michael square in the face. Hermione was the only one who seemed oblivious to the fact that this was about to occur. She made the fatal error of stepping in front of Draco, as his fist landed hard on the side of her face, knocking her over. **_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_**To say he was slightly shocked would be an understatement. She threw herself at him, practically jumping into his arms. He actually picked her up off the ground for a moment. She pressed her lips to his, and kissed him hard. It was fierce and demanding, and she seemed to be asking him a question with her kiss. He hoped he was answering her correctly, by kissing her back.**_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"_**I am studying," he said, "I am studying the human anatomy. Let's see, here, we have a forehead," and he kissed her forehead. Then he removed his coat so it fell next to hers. "Next, I believe this is called a cheek," and he placed a feathery soft kiss on her cheek. He kissed her mouth, almost too softly, and said, "That, my dear, is a mouth. I know that one well. It's one of my favourite parts of the human anatomy."**_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

"_**Granger, look at me," he said, putting one finger under her chin. "I'll make you a deal. I know I already said that I love you, and I do, but when you are ready to tell me that you love me, that's when we will continue this conversation, until then, we will leave it alone, alright?" He stood up and offered his hand to her. **_

_**She was looking at his feet, and seemed unaware of his outstretched hand. She said softly, "I thought I had told you?" He sank back on his knees before her.**_

"_**Hermione, only two people have ever said they loved me, and they are both in prison right now, so I think I would remember if you had told me." He looked her straight in the eyes and was holding her hands. **_

_**She got up on her knees and threw her arms around his neck, and said softly in his ear, "Draco Malfoy, I love you so much!" He couldn't contain his joy. He stood up, bringing her with him and he twirled her around in a circle.**_

"_**By golly, Granger, you should have told me that a long time ago," he said and he kissed her again.**_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_**He kissed her breasts again, first one, then the other, and then he moved lower and kissed her stomach. He came back to her lips and put his hand lower, until it was between her legs. She was very wet and ready for him, and that made him love her more than he thought possible. He held his hand at her middle, only pressing it slightly, but it gave her pleasure, which was palpable. She moaned as he continued to kiss her beautiful breasts. He couldn't help himself, as his hand started to move with the movement of her hips. He stroked her up and down until she was making a deep throaty sound. She said his name, "Draco, oh Draco." **_

_**That was all he needed. He couldn't wait any longer. He felt he had waited a lifetime for her.**_

_**He situated himself at her entrance, trying not to put too much weight on her body. He supported himself with his arms, and he started to enter her, slowly at first. She was clenching her walls, which made her even tighter. She was starting to say, "It hurts, stop," but he couldn't stop. It would serve no purpose. She was just afraid. He could do one of two things. Pull out, and continue making love to her, but then the anxiety she felt would still be there, or just do it, get it over with, and make her see that it only hurt a little at first.**_

_**He decided to enter her. He did it quickly, and she cried out for a moment and started breathing hard, as if she was holding back a cry. He put his hands on both sides of her face and said, "Look at me, it's okay, it will only hurt for a bit. I promise its okay."**_

_**He started a slow rhythm, and she started to relax. He could feel her body relaxing. She was starting to enjoy the act of lovemaking, for which he was thankful. If he had thought he had actually hurt her, he could not have lived with himself.**_

_**They continued their mutual assent, and then descent, coming together in pleasure at the exact same time. He stayed on top of her as long as he could, afraid if he moved she might try to run away, and frankly, he had just decided that she was never leaving him, never. She now belonged to him, just as much as his right arm, his skin, or his heart belonged to him. She was his and his alone. She was a part of him. Without her, he would cease to exist.**_

_**He finally rolled off her and pulled her to his chest. She put her arm around his body and looked up at his face. His eyes were shut once more. Was he asleep again? She kissed his lips and let her head drop back down to his chest. Even if he was again sleeping, she felt duty-bound to say, "Thank you."**_

_**He smiled. She said thank you. She really was a strange little thing. Good thing she was all his. He said, "Your welcome," and then laughed at the absurdity of it all. He said, "Although, for the record, usually people just say 'I love you' after making love, not 'thank you', but you do what you want to do, little one."**_

_**She put her hand on the ridge of his ribcage and traced a line up to his face and leaned over on his chest, and looked at his face. He opened his eyes. "I love you, Draco," she declared.**_

"_**I love you, too."**_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_**He took the box from her outstretched hand and looked genuinely surprised. "What's this?" he asked.**_

"_**There's one way to find out," she exclaimed.**_

_**She slipped off his lap and sat beside him on the chair. He opened the box and there was a long silver chain, and on the end of the chain were their initials, "H & D". He took it out of the box, held it up, and looked at her with a look of surprise.**_

"_**Now, I understand how men are with jewelry, I mean, I know you always wear your ring, but I won't be offended if you want to wear it under your shirt, or if you just want to put it up and keep it safe," she rambled. She was blushing. **_

_**He actually laughed and smiled a wide smile and said, "You are such a silly little thing; of course I want to wear it. I'll never take it off. **_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

_**Draco had been crying for so long that he had no more tears in him. He was lying by the doorway of the little cell where she was dead on the floor. He couldn't even reach her body, to hold her one last time. He tried to leave the anti-chamber once, to find that he could not leave. He told no one he was coming there, and Dean Thomas said he couldn't recall the way. Anyway, Dean wouldn't be able to locate the room without a Ravenclaw or a Slytherin, since it would only reveal itself to a member of one of those two houses. Dean also wouldn't know the password, to be admitted entrance in the room. Would anybody at the school know how to get to this room? Would anyone know the password if they did find the room?**_

_**It didn't matter. He didn't want to live without her. Was this the way she felt when she thought he had died? If it was, he felt even more remorse than he did before, for making her go through such anguish and pain. He turned to look at her once more. She hadn't moved a muscle since he entered the space. He had not seen her chest rise or fall once. She was dead. That bastard killed her. He started rocking back and forth, and tears, which he thought had long since dried, started flowing again.**_

"_**Granger! Please, please, come back to me. I love you, please, don't be dead. Why are you dead?" He continued crying, and calling her name.**_

_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_

Don Boot was passing Draco's room, and heard him crying. He said the password and opened the door. Draco had already said the incantation, and had returned from his memories. Draco was on the floor, crying, with that damn locket on his neck.


	30. Part XXX

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXX:**

Draco and the Locket:

"How could you, Draco?" Don said, as he helped him up from the floor, to sit on the bed. "This locket is dangerous. How did you even get it?"

"I took it from your office after we first got back from Christmas break," he said.

"How did you find out about the locket's memory charm?" Don asked.

"Granger told me, last night," Draco said.

Don was confused. "Do you remember everything now?"

Draco nodded, wiping the tears from his eyes with his sleeve. Don did not know what to say. Draco spoke first. "Don't tell Granger, okay?"

"Why? Do you know how upset and worried she's been?" Don asked.

"As a matter of fact, we had a date tonight, so yes, I know how upset she's been, but I still don't want her to know yet," Draco said. "I want to protect her, and I think I can better protect her away from her, especially since I am one of the dangers." He took the locket off his neck, and handed it to Don. Don put it in his pocket. "I didn't have one bad nightmare, or try to hurt her once while I couldn't remember."

"Is that why you took that potion?" Don asked.

"I didn't know that potion was the one you made for your brother. I thought I was taking the dreamless sleep draught that night," Draco said.

"No, you knew what you were doing, and I want to know why. It was dangerous," Don accused.

Draco stood up, indignant, and said, "I tell you, I didn't know!"

Don said, "The bottles were different colours!"

"I know, the sleep potion was in a blue bottle, and the sedative was in a brown, I helped you make them, remember." Draco was becoming upset.

"Draco, you took the brown bottle."

"That's impossible," Draco said, "I'm not colourblind."

"Well, I'm not stupid, and I know what bottle I found in Hermione's room the morning I found you," Don declared.

This confused Draco. "I don't know what happened. I swear I brought the blue bottle up from my office. I didn't even have any of the sedative in my possession."

Don was frustrated. "This is insane. Someone is duplicitous here, and it is not I, not you, and not Hermione. Could it be…" he stopped.

"What?" Draco asked.

Don said, "Could it be my own brother?"

"Paul?" Draco asked.

"Nick."

"Why do you suspect Nick?" asked Draco.

"I don't want to, but it makes sense, but I don't know why," Don told Draco. "My mother is manipulating this, I am sure."

"If you know something, let me know!" Draco said anxiously.

"Draco, Helena Boot isn't my real mother. My mother died when I was born. Helena and my father married when I was four years old. She is the only mother I have ever had, but I have never really felt like one of her sons. She has always been different, almost guarded with me, like she is afraid, or something. I don't know why I suspect her, but I think there is a lot more to this than what we think. It's a hunch, but I have to go talk to my father first. If I leave for a couple of days, will you take over my classes? And keep out of trouble?" Don asked.

"Yes, but as soon as you talk to your father, let me know what's going on."

The next day, after classes, Hermione, whom had not seen Draco all day, except once when he was leaving the Great Hall after lunch, as she was entering, went to search for him.

She knocked on his office door, "May I come in?"

He was trying to ignore her. Now that he remembered everything, he did not want to put her in danger, and yet, it would be so hard not to confess to her how much he loved her, now that he remembered. "Come in, Granger." He tried to appear nonchalant.

"You've been busy today, I've barely seen you," she remarked, "would you like to have dinner tonight?"

"Not tonight, I'm busy grading these reports," he said, as he pointed to the work on his desk.

"Do you want some help?" she asked.

"I am quite capable of grading a few reports. I may not have your massive brain, but I'm not stupid," he said. He wanted to pick a fight. It would be easier to pretend if she was angry with him.

Hermione furrowed her brows, and said, "I never said you were stupid."

He sighed and said, "No, but you probably think it all the time, don't you."

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Listen, Granger, it's just that since I don't remember anything about our relationship, not really, I feel sort of strange acting like we are in love, boyfriend/girlfriend, you know. Maybe we should cool off our relationship until I remember," he said. He hated the pained look on her face.

"Last night, in your room, you said you loved me even though you didn't remember," she said.

"Truthfully, Granger, I was trying to get you to sleep with me, so that's the reason why I said that," he lied. "When it was apparent that wasn't going to happen, I decided it's not worth my effort and time to pursue you." That should do it. She should be good and angry now.

Instead, she looked like he stabbed her in the heart. He hurt her. He had to look back to his papers, so she would not see the concern on his face. It was better this way. It was. When Don came back, he would leave Hogwarts, just until this thing was over. He could not risk hurting her. He looked up and asked, "Is there anything else?"

"No, I see how it is." She turned around to leave, but turned back. He was back to 'pretending' to grade the papers. He wished she would just leave already. "Draco, even if that's true, which I don't believe, it doesn't change how much I love you, and I know you love me, too," she said, leaving the room. She ran down the hallway, crying. She skidded directly into the chest of Nick Boot.

"What's going on, Hermione? Why the tears?" he asked.

"Draco," she said, "he doesn't remember loving me!" She threw herself in his arms. Nick wrapped his arms around her, and stroked her hair.

"He'll remember eventually," he said.

"What if he doesn't? What if he only remembers how much he hated me, when we were children?" she cried.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." He held her, swaying slightly back and forth. Draco had decided to go after her, and saw them locked in the embrace. He heard their exchange. Nick looked up, saw Draco, and gave him a look Draco could not decipher, but it almost looked to be triumph. Nick turned with Hermione, and led her up the stairs, leaving Draco alone, and rather lonely, in the hallway.

Nick led her up to her room. He said, "Shall I bring you some dinner up here?"

"I'm not hungry," she said.

"Hermione, remember I told you I had a plan, a way to bring all of this to an end? I think we should try it. Don and Draco will not be able to interfere, and I think this is the only way. Do you trust me?" Nick said.

The thing was, even though he had never given her any reason not to, she didn't think she did trust him. However, she agreed. "I will do whatever I have to; I just want this to end."

Whom to believe:

Hermione was waiting for Nick to return. Whatever he had planned, she was going to do it. Hermione was not stupid, she was going to be on her guard, but she wanted this over, more than she wanted anything. No, she wanted Draco back more than she wanted anything.

Nick knocked on her door and she opened it for him. He came in with a large book, a silver bowl, and a clear bottle with amber coloured liquid. He said, "May we move your table out here in the main room?" She nodded, as he put his load on the couch, and they both went and got the small wooden table. He went back and retrieved two chairs.

"Sit down, Hermione," he said.

She did as instructed. "What is all of this?"

"It's the only way I know for this to end. I got this book from my mother. It's an ancient tome, and it has a spell which will put an end to Helga and Salazar's souls."

"What do you mean by 'put an end to their souls'? I thought the plan was to reunite their souls with the part of them that split," Hermione stated.

"No, I've come to the conclusion that won't work. This is the only way," he said, opening the book to the middle.

"How does this help with the prophecy that your mother saw?" she asked.

"It doesn't," he said.

She stood back up and said, "Then why are we doing this!"

"Sit down, Hermione. My mother's prophecy may have been faulty. I don't know why she thinks you have to destroy this Slytherin/Hufflepuff heir. The likelihood is that there are many heirs, or none at all, perhaps they all died out years ago," Nick reasoned. "Why is it that she can't see who this person is, but she clearly sees you and Draco as the ones destroying them?"

Hermione gasped. She was relieved that Nick was of the same mindset as her. She sat back down and said, "I wondered the same thing!"

"I am a more gifted clairvoyant than my mother, and I only see one thing surrounding you and Draco, and that is the pieces of the souls of Salazar and Helga, which you released last summer. It all has to do with the excavation site, and the cup and the cylinder. Nothing else. We can hardly reunite their split souls with their proper souls, so the only recourse is to get rid of the split souls. Destroy them, like Potter did with Voldemort," he explained.

Hermione said, "Harry destroyed the Horcruxes, which destroyed the pieces of souls. We don't have the cup and the cylinder anymore. The Ministry does."

"We don't need the Horcruxes. Their spirits are not still in the items, as Voldemort's was. Their spirits were released, accidentally by you," Nick said.

"I'm still not sure about this," Hermione wondered, "who are we to mess with things like souls and such?"

"Fine, then live your life in fear, worrying everyday that Slytherin will possess someone you love, and in a fit of mistaken identity, think you are Helga and kill you!" Nick said.

He had a point. "What do we need to do?" she asked.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Draco had finished grading the reports and was walking upstairs. He ran into Neville who said, "Draco, glad to see you. Will you do me a favour? When you see Nick Boot, tell him that I won't be able to get any more of that water lily, or exotic lychee extract, so tell him to use what I gave sparingly."

"What the hell are you talking about, Longbottom?" Draco asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Draco, I forgot that you can't remember anything. You probably do not even know who Nick Boot is. My mistake," Neville said, as he walked away.

What was that? Why would Nick need those plant extracts from Neville? Especially the exotic lychee extract. Draco was studying to be a Potion's Master, and he knew that was a very volatile ingredient when used with other components. Draco went to Don's room, and knocked on the door, to try to find Nick. Nick was not there.

Nick had just finished adding the contents of the clear bottle into the silver bowl. He added some water from a flask, and swished the liquid around. Hermione heard it splashing around in the bowl. He looked at the book and said, "We have to say these incantations, and we have to say them together."

Hermione looked at the book, as Nick moved it across the table, so it was accessible to them both. "What's the purpose of the bowl? What's in it, anyway?" she asked.

"The bowl is to be used as a receptacle to capture the souls. It has to be made of solid silver. The amber coloured liquid is a potion used to keep the souls in place, until we can destroy them. The water, infused with water lily, is added to the potion, and the moment we say the incantation, I will put in the contents of the other vial, and the souls will be destroyed. It's old, dark, magic, but it should work."

Without warning, all the lights went out in her room, including the fire in the fireplace. "What's happening?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know," Nick said. He used his wand and lit the lanterns and the fire. He said, "That was weird. Well, let's get started." The lights all went out again.

"Nick," Hermione said, concerned.

"I know. You light them this time."

She took her wand and re-lit the lights and the fire. She no sooner put her wand away, but it happened again. "Come on," Hermione scolded to no one. She lit the lights once more, and when she did, Nick was unconscious on the floor. Before she could go to him, she saw the same spirit that she saw the day she almost drowned.

"Hello, Hermione Granger," Salazar said.

"Are you real?" she asked.

"I'm as real as I was the last time we talked," he said, with a smirk.

"But that wasn't real. That was a hallucination. My mind's way of coping with the fact that I was in danger. A manifestation, if you will."

"Are you speaking English, wench?" he asked.

She closed her eyes, and re-opened them, but he was still there. "What do you want?" she asked.

"Don't let this man do the ceremony he is about to do," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"It will destroy my soul, as well as Helga's. It will be as if we never were, and never more will be," he said.

"There's no other way," Hermione complained.

"That's not true. This is not what you are meant to do. You must find my heir, and then, and only then, will Helga's and my souls rest."

"Are you aware of each other?" she asked.

"I'm aware of her, but no, her spirit is not aware of me. She is aware of you, I am sure, but she's not visited you for a very long time, has she?" he asked.

"No, she's not."

"Then call to her. Go to the ruins of the old castle. Call to her, find out what happened to my child. Trust no one but yourself," he said.

"There was a prophecy that said that I must destroy your heir, for if I don't, he will grow to become the most evil wizard of our time," she said.

"Do you believe that?" he asked.

"No," she answered. "I really don't."

"Then as I said, trust no one but yourself. Go and find Helga. I will return when you need me. I must say, girl, its hard looking after you, as you are always in constant and mortal danger," he joked.

"How was I in danger tonight?" she asked, "Is seems only you and Helga were in danger tonight."

"My dear girl, you would have lost your own soul as well. This man lied to you. The ceremony would not have destroyed our souls, so to speak. It would have merged them to your own. Then he would have introduced the poison to the liquid, and both of you would have died, just from breathing in the fumes, so that when you died, so too our souls would have died. You forget, I know all about dark magic, and this ceremony is dark indeed."

Hermione went over to the unconscious Nick and found a small vial of poison in his pocket. Salazar said, "That is the poison. Go and find the other Ravenclaw, the one you can trust."

"Don?" she asked.

"I would not know his name. You are the only one to whom I have been introduced. Find him, and give him that vial, and he will tell you the truth. After that, go to the old castle, and find Helga's spirit. Make her tell you the whole truth this time. I must not linger here. Someone approaches. Be sure to bind the man on the floor, and use magic to keep him asleep," Salazar said. The lights went out again, and then magically came back. When they came back, he was gone.

Hermione used her wand, and bound and gagged Nick. She levitated his unconscious body to her bedroom. She ran out her door to find Don.

As she ran down the hall, she saw Draco walking right toward her.

Going to find Helga:

Draco was concerned. Hermione looked upset. "Where's Don Boot? Do you know?" Hermione asked.

"No, I don't, what's wrong?" Even though Draco knew Don had gone home, he did not tell Hermione.

"Nothing, it doesn't concern you," Hermione said, heading toward Don's room.

"He's not in there, Granger. What's wrong?" he asked.

She whipped around to him and said, "I told you, it doesn't concern you! Nothing about me concerns you any longer, do you hear me?"

He narrowed his gaze on her, and said, "What's in your hand?" She looked at the vial in her hand. The liquid in the vial was bright royal blue. He knew of two poisons, made with exotic lychee extract, and only one, which was that exact colour. He made to grab the vial from her hand, and she closed her fist tightly, and put the hand behind her back.

"What is that, Hermione?" he asked, holding out his hand, "Give it to me."

"No, I need to give it to Don," she said, backing toward the wall.

"Where did you get it?" he asked. Hermione felt that since Draco did not remember, he would be safer if she did not disclose all information to him.

She said, "I found it in the hallway, and since he's the Potion's Master here, I thought he would know what it was." Lies.

He said, "I'm studying to become a Potion's Master. Maybe I will know what it is." 'Please, give it to me', he thought.

"You don't even remember any of your schooling, so you won't know what it is, so step aside, Malfoy," Hermione said, bravely. "Remember, I think you are stupid, so why would I give it to you."

He reached around her and tried to grab her hand. She brought her hand in front of her, and held on tight. She ran down the hallway, and took out her wand. "I hate to do this Draco, but you've left me no choice," she said.

"For goodness sakes, Granger, what are you about to do? Hex me? That is a poison in your hand, a very volatile poison. It only needs to be inhaled or exposed to the skin, to kill, not ingested. Now give it to me."

She looked at the vial in her hand, and back to him. "Nick Boot was going to kill me, well, not just me, but he and I, with this."

"Where is he?" Draco asked.

"He's bound and gagged in my room," she answered.

"Give me the vial, Hermione," he said. Hermione looked behind Draco, and saw Slytherin again. He was shaking his head no.

Slytherin said to her, "You must give it to the Ravenclaw."

"No, Draco, sorry," she said. It didn't appear Draco heard Slytherin.

"Hermione, listen to me, you have to trust me, give me that vial!" he yelled.

Again, she looked over at Slytherin, and Slytherin said, "We have to get to the castle, Hermione. Go on, give him the vial. That's not what's important at this time."

Draco saw her looking over his should. She seemed to be concentrating on something. He turned to look at what she was looking at, and saw nothing. He asked, "Why are you looking over my shoulder?" She realized that he couldn't see Slytherin. She handed him the vial. He said, "Go to my room, and I will dispose of this, and then see to Nick Boot."

"Why are you helping me? You don't even love me anymore," Hermione said.

"You don't believe that, remember," Draco said. He pointed across the hall to his room. Hermione entered, but stayed by the door, as Draco went toward her room. She opened his door back up, and watched as he turned the corner, to go to her room. She ran out his room, slammed his door, and ran to the excavation site.

There were two Aurors at the site. They were both standing in front of the passage to the underground chamber. Hermione tiptoed to the backside of the site. There, on the ground, was the stone table they found last fall, the one with all the runes and markings. Hermione went to the side that had the Helga runes, and placed her hands on the stone table. She shut her eyes. In her mind, without saying anything aloud, so she would not be heard by the Aurors, she thought, "Helga, please, trust me. Tell me your secrets."

Hermione waited. She waited many long moments. She said again, "Please, Helga." After perhaps ten minutes, Hermione whispered, "If anyone can hear me, please, please, help me." Hermione's vision began.

_Helga was close to the end of her confinement. She had been at Rowena's ancestral home for four months. She had written to Salazar and Godric just that one time, when she first arrived. She told them that she had escaped the water, and that she was safe, and Rowena was with her. She said they would return when they could. She begged them not to come after them. She told Salazar that she loved him, and that she forgave him._

_She never heard back from them, but she did not expect that she would. Her labour pains started, and Rowena called a midwife. Rowena paced outside the door, as the midwife and the medi-witches attended to her friend. An old witch, who was Rowena's great aunt, came to Rowena that night, as she paced in the hall. The old woman was a soothsayer, a seer. She was the one who foresaw the killings of Rowena's family. Rowena was the only one who believed her that night, so she was the only one who escaped, therefore, she was the only one who lived._

_The old woman came to Rowena and said, "Your friend's time has come?"_

"_Yes, aunt, she is delivering the child now," Rowena said._

"_I must tell you something. You must kill this child, before it takes a single breath," the old woman said._

"_Never! It is an innocent! It's my best friend's child," Rowena exclaimed._

"_This child will be the ruin of your children's children. I see it clearly. It may be many centuries, even a millennium, but the time will come when the descendants of this child, will be the downfall of our own. Your entire line will die by the hands of this child's descendants."_

"_No, aunt, that cannot be," she said. _

"_You must believe me. You know I speak the truth." The old witch argued with Rowena for many moments. Finally, Rowena was so angry with the old woman, that she told her she would kill her if she did not leave._

"_If you don't believe me, at least send the child away. Tell the mother that it died. But send it away," the hag said, before leaving._

"_Send it where?" she asked._

"_It matters not. The only thing that matters is that the child never knows who its parents are. However, you must always be aware of its whereabouts, and the whereabouts of its family. Keep accurate records, not just for yourself, but also for each limb of your future family tree. If the child ever comes in contact with your family, than you must instruct your lineage to prune this branch, to kill this child's descendant, or all will be lost of your own."_

_Rowena believed her aunt. That night, after the little girl was born, Rowena took the sleeping child from Helga's arms, and through the dark of night, to places unknown. She could never kill a child, but she believed the prophecy. If the child grew up unaware of its parentage, it would be unaware of Rowena's descendants as well._

_When Helga awoke the next day, she search frantically for her child. She screamed in agony, for her arms were empty. Rowena came to her, and told her that her child died in the middle of the night, and that Rowena did not have the heart to wake her, and tell her that her baby died. Rowena told Helga that she took care of the child's body and it was given a proper burial. Helga grieved for many weeks. Rowena grew concerned for her friend, for she was wasting away to nothingness._

_She finally owled Godric and Salazar. She did not tell them about the child. She told them that Helga was sick, and perhaps dying, and they needed to come and fetch her, and bring her back to Hogwarts, so that she could die with the ones she loved._

The vision ended. Hermione was shocked. First, the vision could not have been from Helga, for in this vision, Helga never knew that her baby had not died. Could the vision have come from Ravenclaw? All signs pointed to that conclusion. Hermione was about to leave to go back to the castle, when she was hexed from behind. She fell in pain. She was soon unconscious. Taken to a dungeon somewhere, and left alone, she was sure of one thing, she was no longer at Hogwarts.


	31. Part XXXI

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXXI: February:**

Two Weeks without Each Other:

Draco Malfoy's world was falling apart. Hermione disappeared one night, two weeks ago, and no one knew where she was. The Ministry had an all out investigation in place, but there were no leads. She was there one day and the next she was gone.

They arrested Nick Boot, but not for suspicion in her disappearance. They arrested him for attempted murder. He claimed to have no knowledge of anything that had happened from last fall until the night he was arrest. He was as upset about Hermione's disappearance as the rest of them were. Draco did not believe he did not know what he was doing. He also did not believe that Nick did not know what happened to Hermione.

Draco visited Hermione's parents, to deliver the news of her vanishing. They were worried, and anxious, and everything in between. Draco blamed himself. He should have made sure she was okay before he left her alone in his room. He was upset most that the disappearance happened before she knew that he remembered loving her. Now he knew how Slytherin felt, when he thought Helga died, with her last thought being that he was trying to kill her. Granger disappeared thinking Draco did not love her. That was a fact he would have to live with for the rest of his life.

Don Boot was missing as well. Draco was sure it was not a coincidence. He couldn't let on to the Ministry or the others that he was suspicious of the man's absence, since everyone was still under the impression that Draco was suffering from short term memory loss. He did not know why he kept up the charade, but somehow, it seemed easier. That way, he did not have to endure painful and awkward condolences from the staff and students at Hogwarts. The only people who knew he could remember was Hermione's parents, his mother, and of course, the missing Don Boot.

He took a leave of absence from Hogwarts. The Headmistress thought it was best, since 'he couldn't remember' anything anyway. He went back to the Manor. He spent everyday locked in his rooms, refusing to see anyone. He wrote to her everyday, but since he had nowhere to send the letters, he kept them tied together with a red ribbon, and would given them to her when they found her. He knew they would find her. They had to find her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When she first woke up, she was in an unfamiliar bed, surrounded by unfamiliar things. Overall, this was a very comfortable room, but she did not know where she was, so she began to panic. She sat up in the bed, and swung her feet around to the cold, wooden floor. She was in a long white nightgown, and there was a plush blue robe, and fluffy blue slippers, in the chair next to the bed. She assumed they were for her, so she put them on. She went directly to each door in the room. The first one, which was locked, must be the main door to the room. The second door was the closet, and the third door was the bathroom. She needed to go to the bathroom, so it was a good thing she found this door.

After taking care of her bladder, she looked out one of the tall windows. This massive bedroom had four tall windows, and a set of double doors that led to a balcony. There appeared to be no way out of this room. She looked out one of the windows, and ascertained that she was very high up, perhaps on the third floor, of a large manor. She saw tall, ancient looking trees, and a well-manicured lawn. She walked back to the closet, and saw it was filled with Muggle clothing, all her size. For some reason, that made her angry. She walked back into the bathroom, and saw for the first time that the tub was lined with her favourite soaps, shampoos, lotions and conditioners. At least her abductors meant for her to be comfortable. She lifted up a plush, dark blue towel, put it to her mouth, and screamed. Then she got an idea.

She walked back to the bedroom, and screamed at the top of her lungs, for a good solid minute. She screamed until her throat hurt. She screamed until she was lightheaded. Finally, she stopped screaming, and went to take a bath. Just because she was kidnapped, did not mean she had to be dirty.

She was there for two weeks, and never saw another living being. Her food would just magically appear on a table by the large white marble fireplace. The first day, she was weary about eating the food, less it be poisoned, but then she realized if her captors wanted her dead, they probably would not have gone to the trouble of making sure she had her favourite shampoo.

Hermione had a balcony, right off her room, which she seemed free to explore. She was right in her original assumption that she was very high up. She also seemed to be quite alone. There was no one around. There was no way for her to climb down the balcony. She was so alone. She did not even have her wand. She had books and her thoughts for company, both of which were meager substitutes for the man she loved.

A chill crept through the door and seeped under her skin. With the bitterness that could only come with the cold, it chilled her to the bone. The days grew shorter, and blackness enveloped the earth and swept away the day. Giving away to her sorrow, kindness hid from her view. It was not being melodramatic, or artistic, nor was it hoped or prayed for, it just was. It just happened. She did not open the door to it, yet it came on in. She struggled to understand the meaning, blind to the possible truth that she was alone, perhaps for a long time to come.

Nothing should feel so old. Nothing should be so cold. Grimacing that it was here, she would rejoice when it was over. It was the beginning, not the end.

She stood on the balcony, the snow falling all around her, and she felt the cold wind upon her face. The wind was crisp; the sky was gray, and unforgiving. She called out his name. Old man winter answered her when she spoke, by blowing the wind in her face.

A small light was beckoning her from a tall evergreen, and she asked aloud, "Is this a star or some forgotten piece of tinsel from some old forgotten place." Of course, no one answered.

There were footsteps in the snow, but they were fading in the coldness of the day. Winter brought death to a dying world, but she knew there was beauty and rebirth, even as the snow covered the earth around her.

Old man winter touched her hand, and she smiled. Night came early and the day was done. Her life was so empty without him. The night came too early, and it was no ones fault.

She missed music. She never realized how important music was to her, until it was gone. All these endless hours sitting in her room by herself, among strange things would be so much more bearable if she had music in which to listen. Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Liszt. She loved all kinds of classical music. The piano concertos were her favourites. When she was five, she wanted to be a classical pianist. She had not been able to listen to music since she had been there, but she had not really missed it until now. At least her room had southern exposure, so the room filled up with warmth and light, at least once a day.

She lay awake at night, feeling that her life was passing her by. It left a tear upon her face, and a chill in the air. Alone with her thoughts, they always strayed to Draco. It was just as well that he could not remember loving her, that way; he would not feel the pain that she was now feeling. She was glad for that. He would not be missing her the way she was missing him. The start of her sorrow was just beginning as the wind blew right outside her window. She was so utterly alone.

Draco walked around the back garden of the Manor. He cherished the earth, for it lay placidly, timidly treading on no one, causing no one harm. In silent stillness, it listened to his hopes and worried about his future. He cherished the world, for it was home for all the creatures that were within its great divide, a beacon for the night, a haven for the day, a refuge for the worn and weary. He was worn, and weary. He was a mere afterthought of the earth, yet the earth held him in high regard.

Each day awoke the light to the dark, the dark to the dawn. Draco appreciated the great wonders of the world, and forgave its transgressions, just as it forgave his.

Draco cherished the heavens, and all it held so dear, and he knew he could not leave this world torn and tattered. His only responsibility was to take care of himself, and he was justified if he tended only to himself. He no longer had anyone else to tend.

He fell down, was he dead? No one was around, so he might be, but he doubted it. Where was the gasping, gawking crowd that usually formed around people when they fell? He got up, and he thought he saw a beacon, a light, in a tall pine tree, but it was an illusion, a vision, for his eyes only.

He always felt that everyone looked right through him, but she always looked right at him. He was afraid that with her gone, his heart was gone, and soon there would be nothing left to see. He would disappear. He was no longer in control of his fate, there was no one to love, no one to hate, no one to care if he lived or died. There was no reason to walk on to his future, if it was just the same as his past.

Could anyone hear his cries? His whispers in the night? People pretended they heard him, but she was the only one who could interpret what he had to say. He talked to her in his dreams, and she alone heard his quiet, peaceful, awakening symphonies.

_No longer a Vision:_

_Each day Helga sat by a window, waiting for her life to end. A mountain of desire filled her empty soul, but not with renewal, but with sorrow, which left her crying. With an uncertain and endangered fate awaiting her, and the sight of tomorrow so far away, she had to will her heart to start beating each morning, to wake up and start all of this again. She wanted the journey to end._

_She felt she was rushing toward her grave in a blinding speed, casting her life away without a fight or a chance. She was alone. Feeding her sorrow was a burden to her soul, and her strength. Her life was ending. The source was just a fading shadow of a fading dream, failing to become a reality. _

_Faces of her past were beneath her forgotten dreams, futures she never thought she would have. The passing of her child's life left a tear in her eye, and a chill in her heart._

_She wanted deliverance from her own mind. The days grew hazy and fell away in numbers, leading her to a different paradise. It was a sacrifice, loving him, but it was one she would gladly make again. She wanted to see him once more, so she could once again be whole, before she died. She knew everything died, and was born again, and that their love may already be cold and dead, but what a beautiful prophecy, loving him. Peace, surrender, delivers her to him._

_Salazar rode through the forest, searching for his love. He received a letter saying that she lay dying. As he rode, enormous ancient trees, which were like cathedral towers, would forever shield him from the brightness of the day. Casting shadows with the shafts of light. He knew he could no longer live with such anguish and loss. He must reach her before she died. For her forgiveness alone could wash his soul clean. _

_That day was separate from all the other useless, unnamed days. Whether grief or triumph had touched him, he knew not. He only knew he was alone. The end to his life knew a brilliant and yet a terrifying source that nourished him to the end and that was her love. _

_In the distance of everyone's lives, he knew that the primeval forest would shade them all. The trees nourished and flourished, drastically and ruthlessly killing what had already been left to die. As the clouds drifted quietly across the solemn sky, he looked away, and then noticed that the sky had suddenly grown dark. The truth was running conveniently through his brain, as a new alarming depression hung in his soul, twisted and relentless, into a flow of tears._

_Light caste into dark places, which was what her love was to him. Now he was drowning in his own sorrow, like a walking death, that was taking too long for him to die. It began to rain, and the drops of water as they splashed on his face hypnotized him. It was something new to his vision. The rain mixed with the tears and both seem to be rising instead of falling. _

_It was an uncomplicated mourning, distorted with a crippling grief. Feeling all of this pain was too much for him to endure._

They wore carefully placed mask to hide their crying eyes, saddened by the loss of simple touching. Their love was distant, crossing a never-ending sea, like artificial flowers, which were illusions, so they could not die. No life within them, mere caricatures made with clay, which could not control their souls, since they were nonexistent. To release their love, would be to release a winged bird, and let it go wild, but unable to really leave the cage in which it was bound. Love for them was like a sinking ship that could not even sink, because it was stuck in an hourglass of sand.

Before they died, they wished to see the sun again, and know peace.

Nothing Really Matters:

Draco heard from Harry Potter that Hermione's disappearance was their number one case. He no longer cared. He knew in his heart that he would never see her again. He was that anguished, that desperate, that hopeless. His mother was worried about him. He felt bad for her, but he could not change how he felt. He was sad. He could no longer pretend and no one could make him.

So there he was, two weeks since she disappeared, and all hope was fading. His mother had made plans to visit her sister and great nephew, but she was afraid to leave him alone. He wandered through their massive home, with apathy his only guise, sorrow his only countenance. She knew he would feel the same whether she was with him, or if she was gone, and she did not feel he was so far gone that he was suicidal. No, she knew he held hope that Hermione would return to him, whether he would admit it or not. That hope would leave him alive. She told Draco she would leave, but come back at the slightest indication that he needed her.

He told her goodbye, and begged her not to worry. He needed no one but Hermione.

Another day, alone with her thoughts, Hermione had just finished eating lunch. The snow, which had been falling for days on end, turned to rain. Freezing rain covered the trees and the balcony with a glassy, frosty, covering. Was this her life now? She felt like the one covered in ice, and no one could melt it, save for Draco. She felt she was to be alone forever. Alone. A word she knew had no meaning to her, not until now.

Draco walked around the back garden again. He hated being in the house. He did not care if there was ice hanging from every corner of the house, and the trees, and if freezing rain threatened to cover his soul. He could not stay in that house a moment longer. His mother told him to be sure always to stay in the back garden, as the Ministry had special wards put up, in case someone wanted to abduct him the way they abducted her. Who cared anymore? He hoped he was abducted. Maybe he they would take him to her, if she were still alive.

Ignoring his mother's wishes, he pulled up the collar of his jacket, and foregoing an umbrella, he braved the side garden of the Manor. The trees there were thick, close together, and could hide him from the rain. He stood under an ancient pine, looked up at the crystallized icicles hanging from the branches, and he yelled, "HERMOINE!"

Hermione stood on the balcony, in nothing but a sweater, no coat, no gloves, no umbrella. The pouring rain was so biting cold on her skin, that when it touched her, her nerve endings felt like they were on fire, instead of freezing her. The rain splashed on her face, covering her mask of tears. Please, if anyone could hear her, take her from this comfortable prison. She would forgo all the creature comforts, for one more moment with him. Therefore, she stood on the balcony, and she made a decision. She would stay there until either she froze to death, drowned, or Draco came to save her.

"HERMIONE!"

Through the pounding, freezing rain, she imagined hearing him scream her name. Life was so unfair. It was not justice to make her hear him again, without getting to see him. She sunk to the floor of the balcony, and screamed in return, "DRACO! PLEASE, DRACO, COME FIND ME!"

Draco stopped screaming, and he imagined that he heard a response. It was a mirage, a cruel twist of fate, that he would imagine hearing her, when he was at his lowest, life at its bleakest. He screamed once more, "HERMIONE!"

As she sat on the floor of the balcony, freezing from the rain, ice forming on her clothing, she knew she heard him. It was not an illusion, and she was not delusional. Even if he only answered her in her heart, she knew what she heard was real. She heard him. He called her name. She stood up, and spanned the panoramic view. She leaned as far over the railing as she could, without falling. She took a deep breath in and yelled once more, "DRACO!"

He was just about to walk away, when he heard the mirage again. He heard his name, wafting through the wind and the rain, and it was her voice, casting doubt in his mind. She was nowhere near here, but he heard her voice, as clear as if she were right by him.

He walked out from under the trees, and neared the house. He stood stock still, and listened once more. Please, please, Hermione, if you are there, call my name again!

"DRACO!" He heard for the third time. It was real. She was real. He knew it in his heart. That was her voice calling his name. He ran closer to the sound of the disembodied voice, yelling her name in response.

There, upon a balcony, on the south wing of their manor, was Hermione. The rain poured in his eyes, freezing his senses, but he was not imaging anything. She had not yet seen him. She was looking out toward the trees. Her hair plastered to her skin; she was cold, and shivering, without even a coat on her body. Her arms went around her, to shield her from the cold. She called his name once more, and then in a fit of sorrow, she disappeared. She collapsed on the floor. He started to climb up the house, using his wand to conjure a ladder from ivy growing across the smooth stone surface. He was as high as the balcony, and he panned the view for her form. She was lying alone, on the cold ground of the balcony, arms around her, shivering, and crying his name. His heart, which was fragile, and held together by perhaps a simple single string, broke in a million pieces, seeing her so lost and sad and alone. He reached for the balcony, and climbed on the railing. He jumped down to the ground, and sped to her side. He bent down, picked her up, and held her. She cried in his arms. She was not aware he was there. She was crying for losing him, not for finding him once again. He took her in the house, holding her tight to his chest.


	32. Part XXXII

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXXII:**

Is This Real?

"Draco, is that really you?" Hermione asked as Draco carried her to the bed.

"Yes, it's me, Hermione, it's me," he said, stripping her of her wet clothing. Her teeth were chattering, and she was shivering. He slipped off her jumper and t-shirt, and then threw off his own jacket. She was staring intently at him. Was he real?

She touched his cheek.

He stared in her eyes. He stood her up and unbuttoned her jeans.

"I'm not in the mood," she joked.

He smiled, and pulled down her wet pants, and then took the comforter from the bed, and wrapped her in it. He pulled her wrapped body over to a wingback chair in front of the fireplace, and pulled her on his lap. He nuzzled his face in her wet hair.

"How did you find me?" she finally asked.

"I heard you calling my name," he said.

"But how did you know I was here?" she asked again.

"This is my house," he said. They were both confused.

"Your house?" she asked, "Wait, do you remember me now?" She finally had the state of mind to ask.

"Yes, I do," he answered. He would omit the fact that he had remembered for a long time.

"Did you bring me here?" she asked, angry, as she tried to get off his lap.

"No, of course not. I didn't even know you were here until I heard you calling my name!" he told her. He hugged her tighter and said, "I really didn't know I would ever see you again. I left you in my room, and then you disappeared. What happened?" he asked her so softly she almost wanted to cry. He was rocking her gently, back and forth.

"After you went to check on Nick Boot, I went to the site," she said.

"Why? Damn, Granger, do you have a death wish?" he asked.

"No," she said, sarcastically, turning slightly in his lap, "I went for Salazar. He's been visiting me."

"What do you mean? You mean at night again. Are you hurt?" Draco asked, concerned.

"No, he has never hurt me. He is the one who made me hang on that night I almost drowned, and he's the one who told me that Nick was going to kill me with that poison. He said that ceremony Nick wanted us to do would not only have destroyed his and Helga's souls, but Nick and mine as well. He told me to go to the site and when I got there I had another vision."

"Helga's child was born, a daughter, and Ravenclaw took the child away in the middle of the night, because a great aunt of hers told her that the child would be the ruin of her bloodline. She couldn't kill the baby, so she took it away, and told Helga that it died."

Draco said, "My god, that's awful."

"I know. In my vision, Helga was dying of a broken heart, mourning for her child and for her one love. Then my vision ended, and I was hexed from behind, and taken to a dark cavernous dungeon. The next thing I knew, I woke up in this room. I don't even know how long I've been gone."

"You've been gone two weeks, today," Draco said.

"If you didn't bring me here, who did?" she asked.

He lifted her and stood up. She sat back in the chair. He started walking around the room, and said, "I have a hard time believing my mother knew you were here, for I don't think she would have let me be in the pain I was in, thinking you were gone, but how could someone have brought you here, without her knowledge?" Draco looked closely at Hermione. "None of this makes sense."

"How long have you remembered?" she suddenly asked.

"Why does that matter? We have more important things to figure out." He did not want to tell her.

"Draco?" she asked, in a warning voice.

"For a while now," he said.

"How long?"

"Why does it matter!" he shouted.

"Please, tell me," she said, standing up, draping the comforter around her shoulders.

"Since the night of our date. I used the locket and it helped me remember," he said in a rush, hoping the faster he said it, the faster the hurt in her eyes would dissipate.

"The night of our date? But, that next day you were so horrible to me. You told me you wanted me to sleep with you, and that's why you said you loved me. Why, Draco? Why?" Hermione sat back down, in defeat. Then she said, "How did you get the locket? It was stolen."

He kneeled down by her, clasping her hands. "I stole the locket, and I was a ruddy fool, and the reasons I lied no longer seem valid. I thought I was hurting you, and if I acted as if I didn't remember, you wouldn't insist on us being together at night, and I wouldn't have anymore nightmares, and try to hurt you."

"Did you stop having the nightmares," she asked.

"Yes, so it was worth it," he reasoned.

"Did the nightmares start back, when you really did remember?" she asked.

He was quiet for a moment. "No, they didn't."

Hermione said, "Then maybe someone was forcing you to have those nightmares, and they stopped them when they thought you couldn't remember. It wasn't Salazar, for he said he has never possessed anyone. The Boots have been lying to us."

Draco was confused. "Who would make me hurt you?"

"I don't know, and I don't know the reason, but I know we can't trust anyone. Only one truth remains, we have to find out what happened to Helga's child, and help Helga and Salazar come together, and find peace. Nothing else matters. I think the Boots don't want us to find that out, and that they are going to extremes to stop us, and I for one want to know why. Where's Don Boot, anyway?" Hermione asked.

"No one knows. Nick was arrested, but is claiming he was conveniently under the Imperius curse," Draco said.

"Maybe he was," Hermione said, "For why would he want to kill himself? He would have died during that ceremony, just as I would have."

"You are a mountain of enlightenment today," Draco said. Hermione sneered, but Draco pulled her to stand beside him. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and said, "I don't care what's what or who's who, I just am glad I found you."

"Maybe you should keep that our little secret," Hermione said.

"Why?" he asked, kissing her forehead.

"Because, we can find out more if we pretend as if we are still in the dark," she reasoned.

"Fine, I still don't remember you, and you are still missing, and everything is right in our little world," he said, not meaning a word of it.

"That sounds like a plan," she said.

Elsewhere, Two Men are Talking:

Don Boot was walking up a path, leading toward Malfoy Manor. He did not ring the bell; he didn't knock on the door. He let himself in, as if he owned the place. He walked through the foyer, to the Great Room, off to the left of the entryway. Sitting on a rolled arms sofa, was Lucius Malfoy.

"Mr. Boot," Lucius greeted the man, standing to shake his hand.

"Mr. Malfoy," he greeted back.

"I was afraid my wife wouldn't leave my son today, and we would have to arrange our meeting for another day."

"Yes, I must admit, I was afraid of that as well," Don said. "So, I assume you know everything?"

"Yes, I was told of everything by your father. He's a very influential man, to get me out of prison like that," Lucius said. "I do hope I can let my wife and my son know of my release soon."

"Well, it's an important reason, keeping them in the dark, don't you agree?" Don said. Lucius sat back on the sofa, and motioned for Don to join him.

"Yes, I think it is," Malfoy answered. "Although, when my son finds out that we hid his fiancée here, without his knowledge, he will be a tad bit annoyed. By the way, I want to thank you for everything you have done in the past to protect my son. It does not go without notice."

"I don't require your thanks," Don said. "Is she safe?"

"Of course. Do you think I would hurt my son's fiancée?" The elder Malfoy asked.

"When that said fiancée is a Mudblood, you might," Don said clearly.

"You underestimate me, Mr. Boot. My love for my son overpowers all my past prejudices. Especially since he has written to me, telling me that he loves her so much. Now that I know the ancient prophecy is coming true, and my son's part in it, I am even more determined to protect him and her."

"I'm glad to hear that. Are you ready to go?" Don asked. "It's dangerous, for two people already died trying to get to the truth. Davina McWhorter took her role seriously. She wanted to protect them, and find out the truth, but she was foolish to try conclude this herself, and with a student, no less."

"What makes you think we can do it?" Malfoy asked.

"I don't know, and we might die trying, but we have to try," he said. "This must end, and now that we know the real prophecy, and not just the one my stepmother spouted, it's more important than ever that we try."

"It should be Draco and Hermione doing this, you know?" Lucius said.

"Fine, go get them. They are both here. Do you want to risk their lives?" Don said.

"Don't be a bloody fool. I would die before I let my son fall into danger," Lucius said, with ire.

"Then come on, the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can let them get on with their lives," Don said. He added, "Do you have the cylinder and the cup?"

"Yes, I still have pull at the Ministry after all; they gave them to me without hesitation. Do you have my son's locket?" Lucius asked.

Don held it up and showed it to him.

"What about your stepmother? Does she know that you know the truth?" he asked.

"No, if she knew, I would be dead," Don said. "That was her plan, all along. She wanted Draco and Hermione to think that they had to kill me. She was going to reveal slowly that I was the heir, then plant seeds of doubt in them, and have them do her dirty work for her. She went berserk when she found out that Nick tried to perform the soul cleansing ceremony with Hermione. She instructed him to have Draco and Hermione perform it, of course, she failed to tell him that it would kill them. When she realized how close she came to losing another son, she became undone."

"She's a fool. What was she planning on doing with the real heir?" Malfoy asked.

"I really don't know. That part scares me. She is mad, and my father is trying hard to get the Brotherhood on his side, so they can take care of her without Ministry involvement. I hope it works."

"As do I. If not, then I might have to take care of her myself," Lucius said, without malice, but with intent. Don merely nodded, as both men left Malfoy Manor, and apparated away.

As they left, they never noticed someone else lurking in the corner of the hall. The person walked slowly up the stairs.

A Special Moment, A Special Hell:

Draco pulled her face up to his, and kissed her lips with the longing he had felt for what had been, at least to him, a lifetime.

"I look at you, and I see love," he said sweetly. He kissed her again. She brought her arms up to his neck, and the comforter fell away. He put his arms around her waist, and lifted her off the floor, kissing her mouth with a want; a want and a desire. He placed her feet back on solid ground, and he removed his sweater. He pulled her back to him, and kissed her shoulder, her collarbone, and the valley between her breasts. He sunk to his knees and kissed her stomach. His hands were on her hips, and he moved his mouth down to her creamy white thighs, and her knee. He lifted one leg, and she put her hands on his shoulder to steady herself.

He placed her leg over his shoulder and kissed his way up the inside of her thigh. He placed a small kiss on her pelvic bone, over her knickers. He placed her leg back on the ground and turned her slightly, kissing her hips, thighs, and back as he slowly turned her around. With her back facing him, and his hands roaming her legs, he kissed the dimples above the elastic of her knickers. He put his face next to her buttocks, and said, "Don't leave me ever again." She tried to turn around, to reassure him, but he would not let her move. He stood back up and she leaned her back against his chest. His slacks had been removed. When did that happen?

She could feel his hard length against her lower back, and he leaned his cheek against hers, kissing her shoulder. One hand went to her bra-covered breast cupping it lightly. The other hand traveled down her stomach, to the inside of her panties. He reached that hand inside her, and fondled her lightly, as he removed her bra.

She was moaning slightly, and standing on her toes, with her weight against his chest. He used the hand that was on her breast, to support around her waist, as his other hand continued to stroke her. He rubbed his thumb at her entrance, and his middle finger entered her. "Oh," she said, breathlessly.

He turned her around and brought her knickers down in one stroke. He looked at her beautiful body. He had every part of her memorized and stored in a special place in his brain. He could see her clearly, sometimes when she was not even in the same room. He closed the space between them, and kissed her mouth again, opening it with his, and exploring it with his tongue. His right hand went down her side, knuckle side against her skin, skimming lightly over the side of her breast, her waist, her hips, and her thigh. He grabbed her knee and brought it up his leg. He lifted her again, so both legs were around his waist.

He carried her to the bed, and placed her gently upon it. She made to move back, but he held her leg. He went down to his knees, and pulled her flush against the edge. He gently guided her back, to lie down, and with his hand on her stomach, he put his mouth to her, and drank from the cup that knew no end.

When she was heaving, and sighing, and her legs began to spasm, he stopped. He pulled her up to the bed, and began to suck on one breast, his right hand playing with the other. She searched for his hard length, putting one hand between their bodies, and she pulled and stroked him. He had to stop his ministrations for a moment of pure bliss, he soon found himself on his back, and she was sitting on his legs, with both hands gliding smoothly over his body. She dipped her head, and kissed his length, as her hands stayed on his base, her mouth was on his tip. She was killing him. She sucked, kissed, and licked her way to the first of his blinding pinnacles. He had not meant to do that. He wanted them to find their reward together. Oh well, he was up for the challenge. He was young he could do it again.

He took a moment to recover, as she lay beside him, stroking his chest, kissing his neck, shoulder, and face. He moved her to her back, and sucked on her neck, as his hand sought her heat. She was so wet and ready. He did not have to linger long, for she was so close. He moved on top of her, and entered her slowly, just a portion at a time, for she was tight. "Relax, my love," he said. Why was she so anxious?

"Stop!" she said suddenly.

"No, why?" he asked, as he bit on his bottom lip, and moved in slightly more.

"God, Draco, stop!" She was hitting his chest and arm, and trying to get out from under him.

"Yes, Draco, for goodness sakes, when a woman says no, she means no," a man said from the foot of the bed.

Draco moved off her quickly, but made to shield her from whoever had entered the room.

Hermione pulled the sheet over their bodies, and Draco looked for his wand. The man twirled it in his finger and said, "Looking for this?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Draco asked.

"Enjoying the show, I really think you should continue. It was just getting good," the man said.

Standing at the foot of the bed was a man neither Hermione nor Draco had expected to see. Paul Boot.

"I always knew she had a hot little body under those robes she wore," he said with a leer.

Draco could kill him, but he had to keep his head. Without consent, he stood from the bed, and walked over to put on his slacks. Paul allowed that. However, when Draco tried to throw Hermione her underwear, Paul caught it in his hand. He said, "I like her like that. Bloody marvelous, she is."

"You mother fucker," Draco said. "How did you get out of your parent's house?"

"I was under the Imperius, hadn't you heard? Now I'm not," Paul said, with a laugh.

"I still want to know what you are doing here," Draco asked. Paul sat on the end of the bed. Draco said, "Hermione, come over to me."

Paul reached over and pulled the sheet off her body. Draco rushed toward him, and Paul hexed him with the Crucio curse. He kept the curse on Draco's body, as he withered in pain on the floor.

Hermione was on her knees, on the bed, screaming for Draco. She totally forgot she was without clothing. Paul looked over at her and said, "Shall I stop, Hermione? Or, shall I continue? I just don't know what to do." He looked back over at Draco, and stopped for a moment. He stayed on the floor, breathing hard, trying to recover.

Paul reached over and grabbed Hermione's arm. He pulled her to him. He stood at the foot of the bed, with his arm around her naked form, his hand cupping her breast.

Draco looked up from the floor and said, "Let go of her, you arse hole."

"That's not nice," Paul said, cursing Draco again. Hermione tried to remove herself from his arm, as he was holding her with just one, but he was too strong. He whispered in her ear, "Shh, love, don't worry. I won't make him suffer long before I kill him."

Hermione was crying and the hot tears were rushing down her face. She remembered the pain of that curse, as she was subjected to it repeatedly. It was right here in this house that it happened to her, just a few years ago. Hermione said, "Please, Paul, stop!"

He did. Draco passed out from the pain, and remained unmoving on the floor. Paul turned Hermione around in his arm, and assaulted her lips with a kiss. Then he tossed her without ceremony on the bed. "You taste like him." He seemed disgusted. He spat on the floor.

He went to the closet, and pulled out some clothing for her. "Get dressed, love, we have a long journey ahead of us."

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You will find out," he told her.

"How did you get in here?" she asked, getting dressed.

"My brother, Don brought you here, and he told me how to find you," he said.

"So he's in on this," she asked, shocked.

"Of course not, the little boy scout. He didn't know he told me, he thought I was unconscious, and he was pouring his heart out. Boo Hoo, his life is so tough. He hid you here, thinking my brother Nick was the one to watch. Little does he know that Nick is the one that was under the Imperio curse the whole time, not I. I followed him here tonight. Yes, he was just here. Too bad, he left before he could come to your rescue, once again. Now, hurry up, we have a long trip ahead of us." He bent down and threw some shoes at her.

Hermione looked at Draco, who was no longer unconscious. She saw him wink at her, and then feign unconsciousness once more. She said, "What do you want with me?"

"To kill you, eventually. First, I have to get you pregnant, and once you have my child, you will die. Therefore, you have a good nine or ten months of life left. Now, little Draco over there, he must die before we leave," Paul said.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"Surely, you don't want me to tell you everything right away, and ruin the end of the story for you, do you?" he asked. He took her arm and handed her a jacket and a hat. "Hurry up, love, its cold out there."


	33. Part XXXIII

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXXIII:**

Buying Time:

Paul had Hermione's arm and was dragging her out of the bedroom, and she looked back to the floor quickly, but Draco was already gone. Paul glanced back as well, and when he saw that Malfoy was missing, he pulled Hermione flush up against his body.

"Don't do anything stupid, Malfoy," Paul said, pointing Draco's wand at Hermione's temple. "I do have your fiancée here, and she will be just as easy to kill as you would be, so don't make me kill her." Paul scanned the room, and said, "Come out, come out, wherever you are."

There was still no sign of Draco. Paul started out the door, with Hermione still in his arm. He backed down the hallway. When he was certain that Draco had not followed them, he turned around and rushed with Hermione down the stairs. Once near the bottom of the steps, he pushed Hermione away from him and said, "After you, sweety." She started down the last few steps, glancing back once, wondering where Draco was. "Looking for prince charming?" Paul asked. He gave her a push, and she tumbled down the remaining stairs. She cried out in pain, when she landed at the bottom.

He picked her up and pulled hard on her hair. "It was so much fun beating you up all summer and fall, and you never once suspected it was me. It was so easy to enter your dreams with just my mind. I'm a better psychic than my mother and brother combined, and no one knows it. Everyone thinks you are so bright, but actually, your mind is weak. And to think, you thought it was big bad Slytherin the whole time." He pushed her toward the door.

"Why are you doing this? Just tell me why?" she asked.

"To stop the real prophecy from happening, Hermione."

"What is the real prophecy?" she asked.

He opened the front door, because he could not disapparate within the walls of the Manor. He pulled her with him and said, "All in due course, Hermione." He pulled her arm up high above her back, and she winced in pain. He pulled her out to the front yard. They started down the path, when Don Boot apparated right in front of them.

"Paul, let her go," Don said.

"Damn, Don, you do have rotten timing, however, I don't think I will. Go upstairs and check on your boyfriend, will you, he has seemed to disappear," Paul laughed.

"Seriously, Paul, this isn't you. You are under the Imperius," Don stated.

"You are a big fool, brother. I was never under the Imperius. Mother and I came up with that plan. Brother Nick, the prophet, was under the Imperius, not I. I've been aware of everything since before I even officially showed up to the excavation site this summer. Now, unless you want to die, which would be a shame, move aside, and let us pass," Paul said.

Don looked at Hermione, then back to Paul, and said, "I can't allow that. I told Mr. Malfoy I felt someone had followed me. My wolf senses kicking into gear, I guess. Please, this makes no sense. Why are you taking Hermione?" he asked his younger brother.

Paul sighed and said, "Mother revealed to me the real prophecy. I am the Slytherin/Hufflepuff heir, and to survive, I must have a child with either a Slytherin heir or a Hufflepuff heir, to continue the line, and fulfill the prophecy. Whereas no other Slytherin heir survives, since Voldemort died, it falls on me to have a child with Hermione."

"How do you figure you are the heir? That makes so sense. Wouldn't Nick be an heir as well?" Don asked.

"He would, if our dear mother was his mother. You were only a small child, so you don't remember, but mother said that when she married father, his first wife had just died in childbirth. You were a toddler, and Nick was that child. Neither of you are her natural children. Just Terry and I were. With Terry gone, that leaves me, for our mother is the heir of Hufflepuff/Slytherin."

"Helena Boot is a Ravenclaw descendent," Don said.

"No, she's not. You see, Ravenclaw took Helga's child and raised her as her own. My mother is a direct descendent from that line," Paul explained.

Don shook his head and said, "You stupid, misguided, fool. She lied to you. I don't know why, but she lied. Maybe it was to feed on your need for power, or maybe it was to get you to do her dirty work, but you aren't the heir. You never were. Rowena never raised Helga's child. She changed her mind at the end, and sent the child away. Hermione saw that vision for herself. Your mother wasn't the one to have the real prophecy about the heir. It was Nick. He had the prophecy. He told me, and I made the mistake of telling her and our father. Then, she lied to us all, and said, that Nick's prophecy was false, and she came up with a fake prophecy."

"You are lying!" Paul spat.

Don said, "Let Hermione go, and I will tell you the truth, I will tell you everything. It's not too late. You haven't committed many crimes yet. Things can still be made right."

"You are such a liar!" Paul yelled. "Mother said you would lie to me!" He held Hermione closer and was about to disapparate, when he was hexed from behind with a Stupefy. He fell to the ground. Hermione turned around, and saw Draco standing in the doorway with a wand pointed at the ground, toward Paul.

"I found your wand, Granger," Draco said, handing the wand to her. She rushed to him and held him tight.

Don said, "Come on you two, I need to take you somewhere safe."

"What about him?" Draco asked, pointing to Paul, passed out on the ground.

"The Aurors are coming. They will take care of him. I called them. We have to hurry," Don said.

"Take us back to Hogwarts," Draco demanded.

"Not right now. Just trust me. I know that will be hard, but please, please trust me. I was headed to Hogwarts with someone, when I decided to come back and check on you. I know now it was a mistake bringing Hermione here without telling either of you, but it wasn't my idea. It was your father's," Don said, looking at Draco.

"My father's in prison," Draco said.

Lucius walked out from behind a pillar and said, "No son, I'm not."

"Father?" Draco asked, confused.

Lucius held his chin up and said, "Are you happy to see me son?"

"Yes, father, I am," Draco approached his father wearily and held out his hand.

"A handshake? I think not," Lucius said. Lucius embraced his son. He said, "I am so sorry that you have been going through hell, and I've not been here for you. That's about to change. As Mr. Boot said, it was my idea to bring Miss Granger here. Your mother had no idea. She doesn't even know I am out of prison. I thought I could keep Hermione safe. Apparently I was wrong." He turned to Hermione and said, "My humble apologies, Hermione."

Hermione didn't know what to think or feel. She had always been somewhat afraid of Lucius Malfoy, and just because he was being gracious, didn't mean her feelings had changed. She went to stand behind Draco.

"Well, I don't expect you to call me Father right away, Hermione. I realize I need to earn your respect. I understand," Lucius said.

"I need answers," Draco said, his head spinning.

"Later, we need to get out of here right now. My stepmother will be furious when she finds out that Paul failed in his attempt to get Hermione. She and my father are no longer together, and we don't even know where she is at the moment," Don said. "My father told me that when he discovered that she had used the unforgivable on Nick for all these months that was when he decided to leave her. He told her just the other day and she has been missing ever since."

"Will you tell us the prophecy and who the heir is before we go?" Hermione asked.

"No, for I'm working only on hunches at the moment. I need to get Nick out of jail, and get his head cleared from all the false things that were planted there by Helena, and find out what he really knows, then, when I'm certain that my hypothesis is correct, I'll share everything. Right now, we really do need to get you two into hiding. Helena Boot is a powerful witch, with many followers, and she probably already knows what's going on," Don said. He took Hermione's arm, Lucius took Draco's, and they all disappeared, leaving Paul Boot lying on the ground.

Anywhere, but Here:

Hermione locked herself in the bathroom again. Draco had noticed that she had been doing that a lot lately. He pressed his ear to the door. She was crying. He could not remember another time when she was so, for the lack of a better word, weepy.

She felt so out of control. She did not like when she did not have control. She was also bored, but more than anything, she was regretful. Don Boot came and saw them today, and said that he still had no news, his brother Nick was still in jail, and that Paul was out of jail, claiming once again to be under another's control. No one knew if that was the truth, for Helena Boot was still missing. Don also told them that the Headmistress of Hogwarts permanently replaced all of them for the rest of the year, since their return was up in the air. That was why she locked herself in the bathroom today. Seeing Don bring all their belonging from Hogwarts was too much for her to bear.

"Hermione?" Draco asked from outside the door, "May I come in?"

"Yes," she responded.

He walked in, and she was sitting on the floor, between the tub and the vanity. He thought she looked so sad and lost. He sat down on the edge of the tub and asked, "Why are you crying?"

She put her head in her hands and cried, "This year has been a total lost, so far. We have accomplished nothing, we have been held in limbo, and now we have lost our jobs. I want a year where I don't feel on the edge, or out of control. Is that so much to ask?" She wiped her eyes, and leaned her cheek on her knee, turning her head away from him.

He reached down and stroked her hair. He didn't know what to say to comfort her. He felt the same way. He should be taking his exams that very day. March 15th. Instead, he was here in hiding, with her, and had been for almost four weeks. He knew just how she felt. He continued to stroke her hair, and she continued to cry.

"It's unfair," she cried.

"Yes, I suppose it is."

"Why?" she asked.

"Hermione, I don't know what to say to you. It's unfair, there's no reason why, bad things happen to good people, whatever will be will be, whatever cliché you want me to say, I will say," he said, tired.

She looked up at him. He had his legs crossed and his eyes where closed. She said, "Move so I can get up."

He stood up and offered her his hand, which she gladly accepted. She started to walk away, but he pulled her to him, and wrapped his arms around her in a strong embrace. "I'm sorry, Hermione." He put his finger under her chin, and lifted her lips to his to give her a kiss.

"Do you think this will be over by June, so we can get married?" she asked.

"Truthfully, how would I know," he said, holding her tight.

"I just realized, today is March 15, you should be taking your Potion's Master exam today," she said, looking up at him. She stroked his face. "I'm sorry; I've not even considered your feelings. Maybe you can still take your exams in June."

"I don't care about the exams anymore," he lied. "Anyway, the exams in June are held on the same weekend we are suppose to get married."

"You're right, what does it matter? We probably won't have jobs to go back to, anyway," she said, walking away from him. She walked out to the bedroom, and sat on the bed. She peered out the window and said, "I wish the rain would stop."

He sat beside her and added, "We are stuck indoors, so what does it matter?"

They had spent the last four weeks at her parent's home. Don thought that would be the safest place. So far, they were safe, but at what cost?

Draco took Hermione's hand in his, and traced the veins on the top with his index finger. He looked in her eyes, and she seemed sadder than he had seen her in a long time. It was as if they were caught in a dream, and they couldn't wake up. "I feel like we are in a vacuum, void of time, empty and blank." He felt he could not even articulate what he meant, yet he knew she understood.

She leaned her head on his shoulder, and sniffed. He put his arm around her and said, "Buck up, Granger. Things will get better." She looked up at him and he said, "What? No good? I'm trying to be encouraging, but I guess I'm not good at it."

"You have to believe what you are saying, for it to have any meaning," she said. She lay back on the bed, brought her legs up, bending them at the knees, and put her hands over her eyes. She began to cry once again.

He stood up and walked over to the window. What could he to do to help her? He came back to the bed, and reached for her arms. He pulled her up to a sitting position, against her will. He hugged her tight; her arms went around his waist, and her head against his stomach. "I'm sorry," she said.

"You have no reason to apologize," he told her.

"This is so stupid!" she proclaimed. She let go of him and lay back on the bed again, and stared up at the light. She said, "Draco, one of the light bulbs is burnt out, go to the hall closet and get another one, and we will change it. That will give us something to do for five minutes."

He patted her knee and went to get the light bulb. She continued to stare at the light. A clear memory came rushing to her, like a flood rushing a dam. She closed her eyes to let the memories flood her mind.

_Salazar approached the castle where Rowena had written that he could find Helga. Rowena herself met him at the doors. She left him for a moment, to see if Helga would see him. He walked around the main room, and immediately felt ill at ease in this house. There were strange runes and symbols all along the walls, near the ceiling, running around the room like cornice. He was a student of runes and symbols, yet he had never seen these before. They must be ancient Scottish, or Celtic symbols. He looked closer, but was interrupted when she re-entered the room. _

"_Did Godric not come with you?" she asked, hopefully._

"_No, someone had to stay behind, to see to the building of the school. I also don't think he wanted to face either one of you," Salazar said. "Will she see me?"_

"_She wants to see you," Rowena answered._

"_How is she?" he asked. He would not exchange pleasantries with Rowena, for he felt there was no time, also he did not hold her in high regard._

"_She is at the brink of death, and at the edge of despair," Rowena said. _

"_Tell me, dear lady, before I go see her, was it worth it? Leaving? Was it worth it?" He asked._

"_I can't answer thee," she said, looking down at the floor. "I hope someday to tell you the truth, but not today. I will lead you to her. Do not ask her probing questions. She is too weak. Just tell her goodbye, and let her die in peace."_

_Rowena led Salazar to a room on the third floor. He opened the door to the small bedchamber, and in the bed, looking fragile and frail, was Helga. She was still beautiful. He approached her cautiously._

_He held her hand, and sat on the edge of the bed. She opened her eyes. "Death comes quickly, but I care not, for at least in death I get to see you once again. To hold your hand, and hear your voice, that is all I need to sustain me until the veil falls. Let me hear your voice," she said in the softest tones._

"_I'm here, my love," he said, bending low to kiss her lips. "Why did you leave me? I thought thee died. I wished for death every day you were gone. Even when I received your letter that you escaped your death in the chamber, I lived in remorse, knowing what I did to you and thinking you would never return to me. Why did you leave?"_

"_The reasons matter not, not anymore," she said, turning her face to the wall. "Did you create my Horcrux? For if you did, I must request that you promise not to use it when I die. Let my soul find the peace that my body cannot."_

"_I did not," he lied. He didn't want her to die thinking that her soul was not whole. He decided right then to someday bind her soul once again, so when she died, she could be complete. He put his lips to her forehead and said, "Why are you ill?"_

"_It is sadness that causes my death. I die from a broken heart," she said.  
_

"_Let me heal it," he pleaded._

_She looked at him, and put her hand on his cheek. She said, "I want you to carry on. I want you to fall in love, marry, and have wonderful children. Promise me this; I want you to have children."_

"_I will never marry, if I cannot marry you," he said._

_She shut her eyes, but when she reopened them, a tear fell down her cheek. "Please, Salazar, promise me you will find a pureblood witch, someone who deserves you more than I did, and you will marry and have children. Promise me this before I die."_

_He held her in his arms, rocking her back and forth. "I will promise you anything."_

"Hermione, did you hear me?" Draco asked.

She sat up from the bed and said, "What?"

"I said; move so I can climb up on the bed to change the light bulb."

"Who cares about a stupid light bulb?" she said suddenly. "We have bigger fish to fry." She stood up and rushed out the room.

"We are going to fry fish now?" he asked, confused, as he watched her run from the room.

Hermione is back:

Draco followed Hermione downstairs. She passed her mum and dad, barely acknowledging them, and opened the basement door. She turned to her mum, who was sitting at the table drinking coffee, and said, "Are all my belongings from Hogwarts in the basement?"

"Yes, when Don brought them, he and your dad put them in the basement. Draco's are there as well, why?" Her mum asked.

Without answering, she ran down the stairs. Draco looked over at Mrs. Granger, apologetically, and followed.

Draco said, "You were rude to your mum."

Ignoring him, Hermione said, "Shut the door behind you." He did as requested.

She went to the corner of the basement, and reached up, pulled a string, and turned on a light bulb, which hung overhead. The light swayed back and forth. She got down on her hands and knees and opened her trunk.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I have to see something," she said.

"What?" he asked.

"SH," she shushed him.

"I swear, you're rude," he said, sitting on his trunk. She started rummaging through papers, when she must have found the item for which she was searching. She closed the trunk, came, and sat next to Draco.

She handed him a long rolled up parchment. He took off the string, and unrolled it. The parchment revealed a bunch of runes.

"What is this?" he asked.

"These are the runes from that stone table. The one they discovered back last summer, at the excavation site. Remember, the one I touched and then passed out. Then I had that vision. At the time, these runes didn't make sense to me, because I only recognized some, and others seemed totally made up, but I think I understand them now," she said. "Each side had a symbol representing the founders, remember?" she asked. She got down on her knees and pushed him off the trunk.

"Seriously, you might be the rudest person I know," he said from the floor.

She ignored him again as she smoothed the parchment out on the trunk. "Paul copied the runes exactly as they appeared on the stone table. Exactly. This side," she pointed, "represents Ravenclaw. Under her symbol are runes, which are different from all the others. I think she was leaving a message. In my vision just now, I saw the same runes on the walls of her ancestral home."

"You just had a vision?" he asked, confused, "Where was I?"

"Getting a light bulb, but that doesn't matter," she said, perturbed. She pointed at a particular rune, "This is the rune that is a combination of Helga's and Salazar's symbols. The same symbol was on the cup and cylinder. Why would it be on Ravenclaw's side? I think it represents their child. I think she was trying to tell someone what happened to their child. What if all these visions I have been having have been fed to me by her, and not Helga or Salazar."

"But, we know you released their souls when you placed the cylinder over the cup," Draco said.

"Yes, but neither of them would know about the baby, or what happened to it. My visions have shown me things that Salazar and Helga couldn't know. I mean, some of the things they would know, but wouldn't Helga's best friend know about these things as well? We need to decipher these runes. Actually, we need the actual table, but since that's not going to happen, we need to figure these out. When we discover what these runes say, then I think we will figure out what happened to their child. That's what we are meant to do. Then, somehow, we need to let Helga and Salazar know," Hermione concluded. "We find what happened to that child, we find out the prophecy. It's all connected."

"How are we going to decipher these runes?" he asked.

"Good old hard work. Do you think your mother would let us borrow some books from the Manor's library? I am sure Minerva would allow me to borrow some from Hogwarts. We also need that book on the founders that you gave me, for surrounding each page, are runes. Maybe the runes around the pages tell the story that the printed word does not."

"You know what, Hermione; if it will get your out of this funk you've been in, than I will do whatever you want. Let me floo my mum, and you floo the old bat. You set up a work space down here for us," he said. He stood up and started up the stairs.

She ran after him, turned him around and hugged him tight. "I love you," she said.

"I'm glad you're back, Granger," he said.


	34. Part XXXIV

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXXIV:**

Fact or Fiction:

"Hermione," Draco said. Hermione looked up from her work.

"What?"

"Do you mind if I take a little break?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. For the past week, they had been working down in the basement of her parent's house, trying to decipher the runes from the stone table. Hermione had transfigured a folding table to look just like the original stone table, thinking they would be more 'inspired' with a replica. All around them, they had hung pieces of parchment and papers with the runes they had already transcribed. Hermione had a large Muggle chalkboard at the end of the basement, with a timeline of events.

"Sure, Draco, take a break," Hermione said, not paying attention.

Draco walked over to the large chalkboard. He went over to the other side, which was still free of writing, and began to doodle. Then he looked back over to things that she had written. He started writing things himself.

He wrote:

**Fact – Salazar and Helga never knew their child lived (Salazar didn't know about child at all, Helga thought it died.) This is probably what Draco and Hermione must really discover.**

**Fact – Salazar's Horcrux (cup) created in cave, that part of his soul thought Helga died. Helga's Horcrux (cylinder) created somehow by Salazar, was created in chamber, that part of her soul thought Salazar wanted to kill her.**

**Fact – Mrs. Boot wants some type of Revenge – Terry's Death (?)**

**Fact – Fake Prophecy # 1 as told by Mrs. Boot to Hermione and Draco – S and H's child stronger than Voldemort, must be taken down by Helga's heir (? Hermione) and Ravenclaw's heir (? Draco).**

**Fact – Fake Prophecy #2 as told by Mrs. Boot to Paul – He is the heir, and must produce a child with either an H heir or an S heir. Stupid Prophecy, who would believe that?**

**Fact – Nick Imperius, Paul claims to be also.**

**Fact – Rowena took child away, did not raise as her own. No one knew that. Her own descendants, the 'record keepers' didn't even know this. This was revealed to Hermione in a vision. Is it true or false?**

**Fact – Nick knows real prophecy, but has yet to reveal to Hermione and Draco.**

**Fact – Draco loves Hermione.**

Draco stood back and looked at what he wrote. He felt Hermione stand behind him and her hands came to his waist to snake around him. She said, "Fact, Hermione loves Draco, too!" He turned around and kissed her.

Hermione took the piece of chalk from his hand and wrote under his paragraph:

_**Fact – Boots – centuries of protecting heirs and their families. (Is that the real reason they came to Hogwarts to protect Hermione and Draco, or was it because of their Wizard's oath to Terry?)**_

_**Fact – Hermione and Draco both saw actual visions in the beginning. Hermione at night, under hypnosis, and at Shell cottage, Draco under hypnosis and in the cave.**_

_**Fact – Hermione accidentally released both souls when she slipped the cup over the cylinder (something she didn't remember until Nick used Legilimens on her.)**_

_**Fact – Paul had genuine vision when he was in the chamber. Could he really now be under Imperius, when he wasn't before?**_

_**Fact – Salazar told Hermione he had never possessed anyone. He had been trying to reveal their story to her at night. Her dreams of drowning, significance of 2:15 am.**_

_**Fact – Paul claims to be the one to hurt her at night in her dreams, but this started before he even arrived at Hogwarts.**_

_**Fact – Locket and book given by Draco, around same time, markings appeared on their bodies, her stomach and his shoulder. Could this have more to do with the locket?**_

_**Fact – first time Hermione under hypnosis, Salazar tried to reveal things to her, but the 'wolves' interfered.**_

_**Fact – Halloween masque – someone controlling Draco, pretending to be Salazar. Who was this? Hermione hurt that night, but not by Draco or Salazar. Nick stated that it made no sense that Salazar would suddenly appear somewhere besides Hogwarts. Needs a conduit or a connection.**_

_**Fact – someone put the combine symbols for Helga and Salazar on the cup, the cylinder, and on Rowena's side of the table. Could that have been Rowena? Could it represent their child? Hermione's visions tell more of the story than either Helga or Salazar would know.**_

_**Fact – After ball, Draco revealed under hypnosis that Salazar not in him, but in Paul. Could that have been true? Could that be when Paul was first put under the Imperius? Paul went in coma from chamber right after that.**_

_**Fact – Don told Draco he was related to him, that was how he entered Malfoy Manor. Could this be a lie? Perhaps Lucius and Narcissa already were working with Don.**_

_**Fact – Nick tried to do a ceremony that he didn't know would kill both he and Hermione. Who told him to do this ceremony? Was it Mrs. Boot? **_

Hermione stood back and looked at all they had written. Then she said, "So what? None of this means anything. We aren't any closer to the truth."

Don Boot was standing on the stairs, and he said, "Then let me help you." They turned to look at him, as he continued down the stairs. Behind him was his brother Nick.

Nicks tells them the Real Prophecy:

"Hello," Nick said.

Neither Hermione nor Draco moved from their spots, nor did they greet him. He understood. He gave them a sheepish smile and said, "If I'm not welcome, I understand, and I will leave in a moment, but I think you should hear what I have to say first."

"Have a seat," Draco said, pointing toward the replica of the stone table. Nick sat down and started to examine the table before him. Don sat beside his brother and Draco sat across. Hermione remained standing.

"Have a seat, Hermione," Draco said. She shook her head no, and walked upstairs. Draco said, "Forgive her for being rude, but you did try to kill her the last time she saw you."

"That's fine," Nick said. He looked visibly upset that Hermione was so dismissive to him. "Let's just get this over with, and then I can leave," he said to Don.

Hermione sat down on the top basement steps, where no one could see her, to listen.

"Two years ago, I had a dream," Nick began. "It was while we were guarding you and Hermione. I think my close connection with Hermione is what caused my dream. In my dream, Rowena Ravenclaw visited me and revealed to me the story of Helga and Salazar. Really, she only revealed what we already knew. I was shown all the things you two have seen, only two years prior. I also saw that Rowena took their child away; because she was afraid, her great aunt's prophecy might come true. The truth was the great-aunt was just a crazy old woman. Rowena must have known that down deep, so she didn't kill the child. Instead, she took the child to a woman, a Squib who lived as a Muggle, who had been her own nurse, when she was a child. This woman was given their child, to raise as a Muggle."

"Rowena kept track of this child, and her dependents, for many decades. Each one was raised as a Muggle. Whether any of them ever showed magical abilities, which I am sure they did, we will never know. Rowena never told anyone her secret, until, that is, she was on her deathbed."

"In my dream, Rowena told her great-great grandson that Helga and Salazar had a child, and that she had lied and had told her own first-born daughter that she was that child. In reality, that first-born child was her only child with Godric Gryffindor. You see, Rowena was also with child, the same time Helga was. That's why she wanted to go away with Helga, to hide that fact. Again, I'm not sure why she lied. She made this great-great grandson promise to become protectors of all the founders' heirs, and to keep accurate records of their whereabouts. She told this man what really happened to Helga's child, but made him take an oath that he would only reveal it to one descendant a generation, each to take an oath not to reveal her secret to anyone else. In essence, she created a line of secret keepers."

"Our father is a direct descendant from that line. We are the protectors, and I am the one who was revealed the secret, from my father. I could never tell anyone, but when I felt you two were in danger, I told Don and my father that I had a prophecy, and that prophecy revealed who the heir was. In all truthfulness, I really knew who the heir was. My father knew that, my mother did not."

"Helena Boot is real my mother. She planted all sorts of lies in Paul, while he was in his coma, and later when he was left alone with her. He really was under the Imperius. He's terribly sorry for all that's happened. I digress, but I must say one more thing. My mother's line comes from the 'false' Helga/Salazar line. When she heard 'my prophecy', she knew that all she had always held as the truth was lies. It made her go a bit mad. It's ironic that the two lines of descendant, the secret-keepers/protectors, and the false Helga/Salazar line should someday intermarry with my parents. She only revealed the fact that she had always thought she was from the Helga/Salazar line to one person, ever, and that was to Terry. The thing is Terry told Don."

"None of this might help you, but I have to tell you that my mother wants the real heir killed, because she is delusional, and she wants to continue to pretend that she is from the Helga/Salazar line. I also think she wants vengeance for Terry's death, just like someone wrote over on that chalkboard. When she came up with her 'fake' prophecy, I played along, not even telling my father or Don that I knew she was lying. I'm sorry about that. At the time, I thought if I kept quiet, I could discover her motives."

Draco was quiet for a moment, and then said, "What does all of this have to do with Hermione and me? Is it because of our visions, and the fact that we have to help their souls reconnect, or is it that we have to let them know about the child? Do we have to figure out who the heir is, since you cannot tell anyone, because you are the secret keeper? Why are we involved?"

Nick looked at Don, and shook his head. Don put his hand on Nick's shoulder and said, "Draco, didn't you hear what Nick said? One person a generation was revealed the whereabouts of Helga and Salazar's descendents. Nick, as you just stated, is that secret-keeper, so he knows who that person is. So, you don't have to discover who this person is."

"Then why are we at the center of this?" Draco asked.

Nick said, "Because it's Hermione. She's the heir."

Hermione stood up suddenly, opened the basement door as quietly as she could, and ran upstairs to her room. She locked the door, sat on the floor, and rocked back and forth, quietly, in shock.

Draco heard the door open. He said, "I think Hermione heard the whole thing."

"She did, she was sitting on the basement steps the whole time," Nick said. Draco looked at him oddly, and he shrugged and said, "Psychic, remember?"

"You could have saved us so much time and pain if you told us that in the beginning," Draco said.

"First, I was tied to an oath, not to tell you. I kept hoping you would discover it on your own. Second, I was not quite myself for a while, when my I was under my mother's control, so there you go," Nick said. It wasn't a good explanation, but it was all he had.

"Why are you allowed to tell us now?" Draco asked.

Don said, "The secret's out, isn't it. Helena knows, I know, so Nick is free to tell the secret now. Draco, also, as your protectors, we didn't feel you needed to know this, not right away. All that is important, to me anyway, is to keep you and Hermione alive, not just because that is my destiny, but because I have grown to love you both so much."

Draco said, "So what does all this mean? What do we do now?"

Don answered, "First, Nick feels you do need to reconnect the founders' souls. Davina McWhorter tried that last fall, she was made aware of your connection by Nick, but not told who the heir was. She failed, and she and a student, whom she talked into helping her, died."

"You see, we feel that the magic involved in this ceremony is very powerful. Its like 'undoing' a Horcrux. You must be a very powerful wizard, but we've recently began to realize that you also must be connected to Salazar and Helga in someway. That's why Davina and that student died, because they were not. Later, your father and I tried the same ceremony, even going so far as to using the cup and cylinder again. You see, you father has been involved in this long before he left prison. I was in contact with him when you were first put in danger. That's how I got into your house to examine your families records. Your father wrote to your mother and told her to allow me entrance."

"Anyway, Lucius and I tried, and we also failed, thankfully, we didn't lose our lives. That was when Nick told us his theory that it must be you and Hermione. He said both Helga and Salazar marked you as their guides when they left their marks on you. You must do this and it must be done at Hogwarts. Nick feels that it must be you two, for together you represent three of the founders. He feels he must help, for he represents two of the founders, Ravenclaw and Godric, if it's true that Helena's line really comes from their child together. Once this is done, and their souls are whole, then we must reveal to them what really happened to their child."

Draco said, "Hermione is under the impression that Rowena is behind all of our visions. She said that things have been revealed through the visions that Helga and Salazar could never know. Is she right?"

"Yes," Nick answered briefly.

"Then let's get all of this over with. No more deciphering runes," Draco pointed to the table, "No more guess work," pointing to the chalkboard, "we know what we have to do now, so let's do it and get on with our lives."

"Draco, it's not that simple. Helena Boot is still out there. She has a following. She has played the whole 'Salazar' heir thing too long for her to reveal the truth to her little coven of devotees. Many of them are former Death Eaters, who follow her now because they think she is connected to Voldemort. She doesn't want to lose that connection. She loves the power too much. She will try to stop you. She will try to kill you. She will try to kill us if we help you," Don said.

"I'm not afraid of her," Draco said.

Nick said, "Well, we are, because she has Paul. Just when his mind was finally cleared at St. Mungos, and we were about to bring him home, she took him. He's her advantage. She will not hurt him, if we don't help you."

"Then we will do it on our own," Draco said, standing.

"You can't. Please, give us some more time to try to find her. Stay in hiding a while longer," Don said. "Even your father and the Ministry feels this is the best recourse."

"I will give you a month, but no longer. Come the end of April, I take matters into my own hands, for it's my future, my life, and my love that is involved," Draco said. "Show yourselves out, please." He walked up two flights of stairs, and knocked on the bedroom door. He needed to see Hermione. When he knocked on the door, he half expected her not to answer.

Draco and Hermione hatch a Plan:

Draco knocked on the door. "Hermione, may I come in?"

She stood up from her place on the floor and opened the door. She said, "They could have told us this earlier, and saved us a lot of heartache and pain. Saved us time. Saved our jobs."

"That's what I told them." Draco revealed what Nick and Don told him after Hermione left the basement.

"You gave them a month?" Hermione yelled. "I won't wait around for another month. We have to get this over with now!"

Draco walked up to Hermione and said, "Do you know how to reconnect souls, Hermione? I don't remember taking that course at Hogwarts. How to undo a Horcrux was not on our curriculum. We can't do this on our own. We are at their mercy."

"Maybe Rowena will reveal to me how to do it, if she knows," Hermione said, dismissively. She sat on the bed, crossed her legs, and stared hard at him.

"Hermione, a month. Give them a month, and if it's not resolved, then we will try to do this on our own," he said to her.

"No," she said.

"Yes," he said back.

She stood up and pushed him. "NO!"

"Listen, Granger, I know this is a shock, but don't think you can push me around, and be rude, and a spoiled brat, just because you are suddenly the heir of all things!" Draco said. Then he pushed her back.

"That's rich!" she said. "You are the most spoiled person I know!"

"So, now it's time for a fight, right? Take everything out on me, correct? You can't yell at Rowena, for ruining Helga and Salazar's lives, for lying to generations of her own family, for creating a monster like Helena Boot, so you yell at me! Why don't you just do what you just said! Make Rowena reveal everything to you!" Draco sat on the bed and glared at her hard.

Suddenly, her face softened. She said, "Draco, you're right. This is all Rowena's fault."

"Yeah, so?" he said.

"So, let's make her make it right," Hermione said. "We contact her; make her tell us how to do it."

"I was joking when I said that. How would we even do it, anyway?" Draco asked. "No, we will wait one month, and then we will take matters in our own hands. One month, Miss Slytherin."

Hermione sat beside Draco on the bed and said, "How bizarre is that? Do you even believe that? I mean, the biggest Mudblood of them all, related to two of the founders. That means either my mother or father is related as well. That means I was related to Voldemort. Yuck," she said. She smiled at him.

"Don't tell Potter, he will probably kill you if he finds out you are Voldemort's cousin 157 times removed," Draco joked.

"This is weird, though, don't you think?" she asked.

"A bit," Draco revealed, "but in an odd way, it makes sense. You are one of the brightest witches ever to cross through Hogwarts. Your magically ability is very strong. I knew all along you weren't Muggleborn."

She rolled her eyes, and said, "Yes, every time you called me Mudblood when we were children, you knew all along that was a lie."

"Yes, I did," he laughed.

"You are full of it." She sat on his lap.

"I'm full of something, but it might not be 'it'," he said back. She felt his erection as she sat on his lap.

"Pervert," she said, pinching his arm. "You know, I've said this before, but there is a school of thought that thinks all witches or wizards with Muggle backgrounds have magical ancestors somewhere in their family tree."

"Yes, I remember you spouting that theory around for a while," Draco said.

"Seriously, Draco, do we have to wait a month? A month? April is so close to May, and then May is right before June," Hermione said, putting her head on his shoulder.

"See, that's what I meant by bright. You know the order of the months and everything," he joked.

She looked up at him and said, "I mean it's close to our impending wedding, idiot."

"Listen, I happen to know that our mothers have everything all planned. All we have to do is stay alive, reconnect a couple of souls, and then show up for the wedding," Draco said.

Hermione kissed his cheek, "Well, when you put it like that…" she said. She added, "My parents will flip their lids when they find out that one of them is related to the founders."

"I bet it's your father. He reminds me a bit of Salazar," he said.

"How so?" Hermione asked.

"Because, Salazar has scared me in the past, and so has your dad," Draco concluded.

"Well, I bet it's my mum. I don't know why, but I do." She snuggled in his lap, putting her head on his shoulder again. She asked, "Do you think this is the reason why your father is more receptive to me? Now he knows I come from a magical background?"

"Truthfully?" Draco asked. She nodded. "Perhaps. I'm sorry, but that makes some sense. He was never thrilled when I first wrote to him that we were in love. He thought you were a passing fancy, and that I would tire of you and move on to someone else."

"Have you?" she asked meekly.

"Moved on to someone else?" he said lightly. He knew what she meant. "I love you, Hermione. I will never tire of you. I feel like now that we know what's going on, and what we have to do, this will all end okay."

"Do you really?" she asked.

"Yes, I do."

She started to kiss his neck. She put her hand under his shirt, sneaking it up from the bottom. Her hand was cold on his chest.

"What are you doing, Hermione?" he asked.

"Something about finding out I'm the heir makes me feel aroused," she admitted.

"Can't you just say, 'horny' like the rest of us?" he said, kissing her cheek.

She looked at him, and said, "Seriously, I'm like Magical Royalty, I don't say words like 'horny'." She pushed him back on the bed and sat on his waist. She ran her hands up and down his chest. She leaned over and played with his lips, kissing them lightly, and then pulling back. She said, "I love you."

He turned her around so she was under him, and he said, "I love you more," and he kissed her neck. He pulled his shirt off, then hers. Hermione pushed against his chest, stopping his advances for a moment.

"You don't love me more," she frowned.

"Fine, we love each other the same, now make love to me, little one, or I will not believe you," he said, taking both her arms, and putting them on each side of her head. He dipped his mouth for another kiss. He laid half on her, half on the bed, with his thigh and leg between hers. He was so hard for her. He pinched her bra-covered breast, and kissed her cleavage. He pulled her bra straps down, and she reached around and unclasped the back.

He pinched her nipple again, this time she emitted a slight squeal, to which he laughed. He put her entire nipple in his mouth, and sucked and licked. She was warm, wet, and ready for him. She reached down and undid her own jeans. He reached down with her, and as she unzipped her pants, he snuck his hand inside to touch the apex of her thighs. She wiggled underneath his hand, as he played with her. He kissed her stomach, and her rib cage. He pulled down her pants, and her knickers, kissing her legs as he went. She was trying to remove her shoes as they went, but she only managed to remove one. Her jeans and panties stayed on one leg and he didn't care.

He unbuckled his pants, as he was hard and ready, and he entered her. He kept his weight on his arms, as he moved his hips, grinding hard into her heat, as his pants stayed on his hips. She clasped his hips, urging him faster and faster still. She shut her eyes and bent her legs at the knees, resting her legs on the bed, so she could open wider to receive him. She started to moan slightly. He propped himself up on one elbow and reached between their bodies with one hand. He rolled his finger around her clitoris, because he needed her climax to match his own, and he needed it to come soon, for he could only wait long. Soon, his thrusts were met with hers, they both came at once, and he dropped his weight on her, as they both shivered and quaked in each other's arms.

"Wow, sex is so much better now that I know you are not a mere Muggleborn," he joked.

"You're so stupid," she said. He pulled up his pants, and then pulled her to his side, and threw the bedspread over their forms. She said, "I still have my bloody shoe, jeans, and knickers on!" He sat up, and saw the aforementioned clothing dangling from one of her feet. He laughed hard.

"You're so sexy, Granger," he joked. He reached down, untied her shoe, removed the clothing, and put the blanket back over them. She lay on his chest and fell asleep. He stayed awake, watched her sleep, and made a silent promise to her. He said, in a whisper, "I promise, this will all be over soon."


	35. Part XXXV

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXXV: April**

Impatient:

Draco was so tired of hearing Hermione whine, so he was hiding from her. "It's been a month, Draco!" she kept saying. He knew it had been a bloody month. No one needed to tell him it had been a month, and that they were still stuck indoors, hiding at her parent's house, with not even a single word or a letter from Don or Nick.

Both of the Dr. Grangers were at the office, so Draco was hiding in their room. He had never spent any time in this room before. He walked around the room, picking up things from their dresser and nightstands. There was a Muggle picture of Hermione, when she was a baby, on Mrs. Granger's dresser. Draco smiled, because she was such a beautiful little baby, with a shock of dark curly hair. He wondered if their baby would be as pretty someday. He was certain that with his good looks, and hers, their children would be beautiful. He walked over to the closet and opened the door. He lightly touched some of the clothing. He saw a large box, on the top shelf, with the word, "Hermione", written on the side. He knew it was wrong to snoop in other people's things, but his guilt was something he could live with.

He took the yellow box from the shelf and sat on the bed with it on his lap. He opened the box, and saw a small pair of white baby shoes. He put one on each index finger, and made them dance. He laughed and put them on the bed. He shifted some of the papers around, and found her birth certificate. He found her immunization record, whatever that meant. He looked through some more papers, and found some Muggle report cards, of course, nothing but the highest grades for little Hermione.

He started to put the papers back in the box, when something else caught his eye. It was a bag with Hermione's baby teeth. Seriously, he knew they were dentist, but he thought it slightly morbid to save her baby teeth. He put the papers back in the box, then the shoes, and replaced the lid. He stood up and put the box back on the top shelf. He saw another box, much like the first, and he withdrew it. He sat back on the bed to examine the new box.

He started to open the lid, when he heard her calling for him. Damn, she was on his scent for sure. He stood back up, replaced the lid to the box, then climbed in the closet and shut the door. He stood still, in the dark enclosure, as he heard the door to the bedroom open.

He heard her say, "Where is that prat?" He stayed as quiet as he could. He heard her leave the room, so he opened the closet door.

"AAHH!" he yelled. She was standing outside the closet, hands on hips, a grimace on her face. "You scared me!"

"What are you doing in my parent's closet?" she demanded.

"Hiding from you," he admitted.

She took the box that he still had in his hand and put it back on the top shelf of the closet. She started to shut the closet door, when she saw a pair of her father's slacks on the floor. "Draco, you messed up my parent's closet," she complained. She bent to pick up the pants. He plopped on their bed.

"Draco, come here," she said, kneeling in the closet.

"My feet aren't on the bed," he said. They were on the bed, but he removed them quickly.

"I don't care about that, just come here," she said, looking at him. He walked over to the closet and joined her on the floor. She moved aside some of her father's shoes, and pulled out a wooden box, with a wooden inlay.

"What's that?" he asked.

"I don't know, but look," she said. On the top, etched in the dark wood, was an all too familiar symbol. Her fingers lightly touched the raised markings. "It's the symbol, from the cup, the cylinder and the stone table, the combined symbols for Hufflepuff and Slytherin."

Draco said, "Have you ever seen this box before?"

"Never," she said, as she started to open the lid. He put his hand on hers.

"Don't open it," he urged.

"Why not?" she asked.

"It might not be what it appears," he warned. He was not sure what he thought it was, but he had learned not to trust anything with that symbol.

She backed away from it slightly, coming to sit beside him on the floor. "Draco, I mean it; I've never seen this in my parent's house before. I helped them move to this house, and I don't recall this box."

Draco said, "Get behind me," as he started to open the box. She looked over his shoulder, as they sat on the floor. The box contained a scroll. He unrolled the scroll, and saw all the familiar and unfamiliar runes that they had grown so accustomed to seeing. She started to reach around him, to touch it, but he put it back in the box.

"I don't want you to touch it. Let's put it back, and we will ask your parents about it later." Draco put it back in the box and closed the lid. He pushed it deep in the closet.

"What do you think it is?" she asked.

"No clue, little one. I wish I knew," he stated. He stood up and pulled her to her feet. He sat on her parent's bed, pulling her down beside him.

"Why were you hiding from me?" she asked.

"You've been especially irritating lately," he said. He took her hand, stroking the top.

"So you hid in the closet?" she said.

"Well, I was hiding in the room, and snooping in the closet, but when I heard you come closer, I hid in the closet," he said. She laughed.

"So, does that mean you are finally coming out of the closet? Are you finally going to admit your feelings for Don?" she joked. He just looked confused, as he did not understand what she meant. She shook her head and asked, "Did you find anything good while you were snooping?"

"Your baby teeth, which by the way is very disgusting. Muggles are so weird, saving baby teeth," he said. She hit his arm.

"What do wizards save?" she asked.

"In my case, a lock of my hair from my first haircut," he grinned. "My hair was much lighter than."

She looked confused and said, "What's lighter than white?" He hit her shoulder. Just then, the phone rang. Hermione stood up, went over to the desk in the corner, and answered it. Draco heard her say 'yes' a couple of times, then he heard her cry out, "Oh my, God!" She was still on the phone, but tears began to stream down her face.

"What is it?" he asked, running to her side. She held out a finger, for him to stay quiet, as she continued to listen on the phone.

"Thank you," she said in the receiver. She replaced the phone on the cradle, and said, "That was a local hospital. My parents have had a car accident, and we have to go them, immediately."

"We can't leave," Draco said.

"Draco! It is my parents! I have to go to them!" she cried.

"Did they say if they were hurt badly?" he asked, putting his arms around her.

"No, they didn't, but we have to go!" she said.

"Floo Potter. Have him check on them," Draco said.

"Draco! It's my parents!" she said again.

"It may be a trap!" he told her. She thought about what he said for a moment.

"I'll contact Harry," she said, as she left him in the room. She no sooner got downstairs when she screamed, "DRACO!" He ran as fast as he could down the stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, was Mrs. Granger, clutching her daughter.

"What's going on, Draco?" Mrs. Granger asked, confused, as she held her crying daughter in her arms.

After Draco and Hermione explained everything to her, Mrs. Granger assured them that both she and her husband were fine. She had just come home, because she left their lunches in the refrigerator. Draco turned to Hermione and said, "It was a trap. It was some type of trap, to get us out of the house."

"But, Draco, don't you see, that means they know we are here. The person on the phone asked for me, specifically," Hermione said.

"We need to contact someone," Draco said.

"I still want to call Harry. I know he is not an Auror yet, but I want his opinion."

Later, after Harry and Bill Weasley heard their story, they both agreed that it probably did mean that Mrs. Boot was now aware of their whereabouts.

"Hermione, we need to find somewhere else to move you two," Harry said.

"I don't want to hide anymore. Do you know what's going on?" she asked.

"I know that no one knows where Mrs. Boot is, and that Don and Nick have gone underground, to search for her. Their brother is still missing," Bill said.

"We could go to the Manor," Draco said, looking at Hermione.

"No! I cannot go back there. I have very bad memories from both the times I was there. I refuse," Hermione said, standing, "Besides, what about the safety of my parents?" Hermione stood up and walked up the stairs. Draco followed.

He grabbed her arm on the stairs and said, "Then we will go to Hogwarts and finish this. You are right. I gave the Boots an ultimatum, and it is over. The month is up, so we have to act on our own. Do you think the old bat will let us come back?"

"I hope so. That's where I want to go, as well," Hermione smiled.

They told Harry their decision. He wasn't happy, but he agreed that they could be just as safe there as anywhere else.

The Day before Going Home:

"Do you want to take this jumper?" Hermione's mum asked, holding up a blue sweater.

"No, it will be warm weather soon," she replied. She folded some socks and put them in her trunk.

"This reminds me of when you were young and we would pack you up for school each fall, only this time, I feel even more apprehension, because I'm so worried for you," Mrs. Granger said. Hermione smiled weakly. She had no words of encouragement for her mum. Mrs. Granger said, "Now, you will be able to come to the dressmaker's this afternoon, right?" Her mother had wanted her to go for a final fitting on her dress for months now.

"Yes, Harry's coming with me. I'm sure he's thrilled about that," Hermione laughed. "Draco is going to have lunch with his parents, today, so if you would like, maybe you and Harry and I could go out to lunch."

"Sounds like a plan," her mother said.

"Mum, by the way, Draco and I were snooping, no, back up, Draco was snooping in your closet the other day, and we found something, can you tell me what it is?" Hermione asked.

"What did you find? Mothballs?" her mum asked, smiling. Hermione took her mother's hand, and led her to her room. She opened the closet and pulled out the wooden box.

"What's that?" Hermione asked.

"Just some old box your father found at a boot sale, why?" she asked.

"Did he look inside it?" Hermione asked.

"Probably not. He said he thought it was interesting, he paid an excess amount of money for it, something like 80 quid, then he forgot about it, and I was tired of walking over it so I stuck it in the closet. Why? Would you like it? Go on, take it, he will not even miss it. He's not even asked where it has been," Mrs. Granger concluded.

Hermione contemplated telling her mum about the symbol, for she knew it was no mere coincidence that her father found it, boot sale or not. Hermione said, "Yes, I would like it. I want to take it back to school with me."

"Be my guest," Mrs. Granger said. Hermione picked the box up and took it to her room. She put it in her trunk.

A little later, after she was mostly packed, Draco walked in the bedroom. "Did you ask your parents about the box?" he asked, sitting on the bed. She stood to walk beside him and he grabbed her arm, pulling her on his lap.

"Yes, my dad bought it at something called a boot sale," Hermione told him. He looked confused and she said, "You know, weekends, selling things from your car, buying things from other people's cars. Never mind, the point is it cannot be an accident that he bought this thing. My mum told me I could have it. It's in my trunk."

He frowned, and said, "I have two things to say. First, Muggles are strange. Why buy useless things from someone's car? Second, I wish you had not touched it. Look what happened when you touched the cup, the cylinder, and the table. I would have preferred to put it in my trunk."

She held up her hands and said, "Look, Draco, I still have two hands. They didn't burn off at the merest touch of the box. I wasn't transported to a different plane. I didn't pass out, or go into a catatonic state. I'm fine." He glared at her, and she gave him a nice, wet, long kiss on the mouth. She stood up and said, "Now, have fun with your family and I'll see you later." She put her arms around his neck and brought her mouth to his once more. She kissed him hard and went over to her trunk.

Hermione picked the box up from her trunk and placed it on the bed. Draco turned to watch her, as she opened it once more. He sat on one side, as she sat on the other. She unrolled the scroll slightly, and said, "With all the hard work we already put into transcribing the table, I think this will be easy to transcribe."

"Whatever, Granger." Draco stood up and left the room. He did not care what the bloody scroll said. He knew it was not a coincidence, which is why he wished she would just leave it alone. As he was walking downstairs, Hermione called out to him.

From the top of the stairs she said, "Where are you going? You aren't supposed to go to the Manor for another hour."

"Well, I'm going now, is that alright with you?" he asked sarcastically.

She walked down three stairs and he turned toward her. "Are you angry?" she asked him.

"No, not really. Just please put the scroll and the box away until we get to Hogwarts," he said. She leaned over, placed her hands on his shoulders, and kissed his lips.

"Of course." She walked back upstairs.

"That witch will be the death of me yet," Draco said to himself. He went downstairs and apparated to the Manor.

Hermione went back up to her room, and picked up the scroll. She was about to put it back in the wooden box, when she noticed a notch in the corner of the wooden bottom. She hooked her finger in the notch, and lifted, and a false bottom lifted off the bottom of the box. Inside a hiding place, was another box. This one appeared to be solid silver, with the same symbol etched on the lid. She opened this lid. Written in 'the king's English', on a plain piece of parchment, were the following paragraphs:

_Hermione,_

_Only a secret keeper can place a note in this box, and only an heir of Helga and Salazar can open this box. If you are reading this note, then you are that heir. It means that you have already deciphered the runes on the scroll, and you know the story of how the four founders of Hogwarts met, and you know the story of how Helga and Salazar fell in love, had a child, and all the lies and secrets in between. You know the secret of how Rowena took that child away, and you know that you must right her wrongs. A secret keeper, for which I am one, could never betray his or her station, so the truth remained hidden for so long. Now, the truth shall be known. The runes on the scroll will tell you how to finish this._

_Salazar, Helga and Rowena all returned to the site of their school as soon as Helga's health returned. Rowena's child's identity was kept secret, as she had one of her lady-in-waiting raise the child as hers. Rowena never told this child she was her own. Instead, she relayed the story of Helga and Salazar to the girl, after she was grown, and told her that she was their child. Why she kept lying, I am not sure. The lies are something Rowena wants to make right. That is why she came to me, in a vision, and that is why she came and revealed things to you._

_At the time, Rowena felt guilty having a child, when Helga's arms were aching from the emptiness that she herself caused. It was undoubtedly wrong to have taken her child, and she would regret it as long as she lived. Someday, she hoped to find a way to make things right, and if you are reading this, then her dream will finally be realized._

_Things were never the same between the four. Helga and Salazar, while still in love, decided to go on with their separate lives. Godric had fallen in love during the months Rowena was away, and she was grateful for that. Soon, all four of them had found others to love, and started their families._

_Forty years passed before their school was finally complete. The dream of having a school where all magical children could learn, free from fear and persecution, was all that the four ever wanted. _

_You are the hope for that school, as well as hope for righting Rowena's wrongs. I myself prophesied this. The scroll's runes not only tell their story, but also will tell you what to do, so good luck, and take heart, for you are the hope of the future, and a gift from the past. _

_Love, Nick Boot_

Hermione was shaking by the time she finished reading the note. Could it be really be from Nick? Could it mean that she truly was the heir, a fact that she had not yet completely believed.

Moreover, what was written on these scrolls? Were they the key to finally putting Helga and Salazar's souls to rest? Was any of this real, or was it some sort of trap, like Draco thought. She carefully put the letter back in the box, replaced the false bottom, replaced the lid, and stored the box once again in her trunk. She went downstairs to wait for Harry.

Deception:

Hermione, Harry and Mrs. Granger arrived at the dressmaker's studio. The woman's name was Ellen, and when they arrived, she greeted them graciously.

"You don't know how happy I am to finally meet you," Ellen told Hermione. "I have seen your picture, which does not do you justice. I hope you love the dress I designed for you."

Hermione smiled. "I'm sure I will," she said, turning and smiling to her mum. Ellen and Mrs. Granger took Hermione to the dressing room, leaving Harry in the main studio.

The dress was beautiful. As Hermione tried it on, it finally hit her. She was really getting married. She looked at herself in the three-way mirror, and said, "Wow, I'm getting married." Her mum laughed. "I feel like a princess."

After 30 minutes, and many straight pins later, the dress was fitted. Hermione poked her head out of the doorway and said to Harry, "Do you want to see?"

Harry was sitting on a couch, flipping through a magazine. He did not even look up. He said, "Sure." Hermione walked out, as Harry continued to read his magazine.

"Harry?"

He looked up. It was fourth year Yule ball all over again. He could not believe how beautiful his best friend looked. He put the magazine down and said, "Next to my lovely Ginny, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." She smiled and turned to look in a mirror.

"Do you think Draco will like it?" she said, her reflection looking at his.

"If he has eyeballs he will like it," he said back.

Hermione turned around and hugged Harry. "Ouch," she said, "a straight pin is sticking me." She lifted her arm. She walked back in the dressing room, to change back in her clothing. Mrs. Granger walked out of the dressing room and sat beside Harry on the couch to wait for Hermione.

At the Manor, Draco was enduring his own fitting. His mother was having his wedding dress robes fitted. Draco bellyached about it, but his mother overruled, and he had no choice. When he was finished, he joined his father in the lounge.

"So, Draco, do you really think it's wise to go back to Hogwarts? Perhaps you should come here," Lucius said

"I suggested that, but Hermione wasn't receptive," Draco said back, sitting opposite his father on one of the sofas. "Beside, Scarhead is coming with us, as well as some Aurors."

"Yes, the Aurors kept you quite safe two years ago, as I understand," Lucius said with acid in his voice. The Aurors DID NOT keep them safe two years ago.

"I promised Hermione that we would wait for the Boots to solve this in a month, and if not, we would take matters in our own hands. She's been very patient, father, and I must live up to my promises," Draco said, laying his head back on the sofa to stare up to the ceiling.

"Aren't you the man? Tell her that you changed your mind and you are both coming here," his father said.

Draco laughed and said, "Father, I am a man, but Granger is Granger, and she does what she wants, and I want to do what she wants. You will not make me feel guilty, by trying to emasculate me. I'm fine with my decisions."

Mrs. Malfoy joined the men and said, "Draco, you have an owl from Hermione."

Harry, Mrs. Granger and Hermione were sitting at an upscale restaurant, having lunch, when Mrs. Granger's mobile phone rang. "Hermione, your dad called. Draco sent an owl for you to the house. Do you want him to open it, to see what it says?"

Draco opened the letter from Hermione, and stood up abruptly. "I have to get to the dressmaker's studio. It seems Hermione fell down the stairs and she sprained her ankle. I'll come back and see you both soon." He kissed his mother goodbye, shook his father's hand and went outside to apparate to the dressmaker's studio.

Hermione took the phone from her mother and said, "Daddy, read me the owl." Harry and Mrs. Granger sat in silence, as Hermione listened intently to her father. "Goodness," Hermione said, handing the phone back to her mum. "Draco apparently went to the dressmaker's studio, to meet us, and he fell down the steps out front. He wants us to meet him and take him to St. Mungos."

"What should we do?" Mrs. Granger asked.

"You go home, mum. Harry, will you come with me?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded his head and Hermione and he went to the back of the restaurant to apparated back to the dressmaker's studio.

Draco walked up to the main doors of the studio and tried to open the door. They were locked. He looked at his watch. It was only 2 pm. Could the place be closed? Where was Hermione? He knocked once more, banging hard on the door, and then decided to apparate inside.

Hermione and Harry just arrived at the dressmaker's studio. It appeared closed. "That's weird, the sign on the door says it closes at 7pm, but the lights are out, and the door's lock." Hermione said as she tried the door.

Harry said, "I have a bad feeling about this. We should go."

"What if Draco is inside?" Hermione said. She took Harry's hand and said, "Let's apparate inside."

"What if a Muggle sees us?" Harry asked.

"I'm willing to chance that," Hermione said. They apparated inside.

Draco illuminated his wand, and starting calling her name. Just then, he heard two distinct pops. Two people had apparently just apparated in the same room as he. He hid behind a rack of dresses.

Hermione said, "Harry, light your wand."

"Granger?" Draco called out. He came out of his hiding spot.

"Draco, why are you in the dark? Are you okay?" Hermione ran over to him.

"I'm fine, how is your ankle?" he asked.

"What are you going on about? I didn't hurt my ankle."

Harry came up behind Hermione and grabbed her waist. "Let's get out of here, now." Before Hermione could respond to Harry's request, someone stunned him from behind. Hermione screamed and dropped to her knees.

"Harry!" she said, frantically. She started to shake him.

Draco came up to the pair, and said, "Come on!" He took Hermione's arm and added, "Hold on to Potter, and I will get us out of here."

The dressmaker, Ellen, came out from behind the three-way mirror and said, "You aren't leaving are you? The fun is just about to begin."


	36. Part XXXVI

all characters belong to JKR

**Part XXXVI:**

Who are you?

"Who are you?" Hermione asked breathlessly. The other woman had her wand pointed at Hermione and Draco. Hermione had her body over an unconscious Harry.

"You will find out shortly. Stand up, we have to go," the woman said. Draco stood up and reached down to help Hermione, but she hit his hand away.

"Stand up, Hermione," Draco said to her. His stare never left the witch holding the wand. He fingered his wand slightly, as it hid in his pocket.

"No, Harry's hurt," she said.

The woman said, "He will be dead soon, if you don't get up, and come with me now. Helena Boot and her followers are on their way." A moment later, two wizards came out of the shadows. It was Nick and Don. Hermione stood up.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked, staring first at Don, and then at Nick. Don ran up to her and embraced her tightly.

Nick ran up to Harry, looked back at the woman, and said, "Why did you hurt him?"

"He's only stunned. I hardly expected him to come with them, and we can't very well take The Boy Who Lived with us, can we?" she said.

Don said, "Hermione, Draco, Helena is on her way, any second now. She arranged for you two to come here. She found out your hiding place days ago. Ellen has been working for us, undercover, for a long time, and she received information that Helena was going to try to get to you before you went back to Hogwarts. She cannot touch you at Hogwarts and we are not sure why. We think that is why she has had others do her dirty work for her, when you were there before. Now, please, we don't have anymore time." He took Draco's arm, as Nick took Hermione and Harry's arms. They started to disapparate, when the room filled with a bright, blinding light. Soon, spells, with green, red and gold, sparks were firing all around them. Hermione kept her body over Harry as Draco pulled them both to the corner of the room. He took out his wand, and put himself over them both, to protect them.

In the chaos, Don and Nick both became wolves and attacked the three wizards who had entered the room. That was when they saw her. Helena Boot entered the room, blue light emitting from her body, her black hair long and flowing. She put her hands up and the room once again filled with the same white light. The woman, known as Ellen, crawled over to Draco and Hermione and said, "Get Harry Potter out of here. Apparate somewhere safe and we will find you again." She put a shield charm in front of them. Draco took Hermione's hand, and as she was still holding Harry, disapparated them to the only place he could think. He apparated outside of Malfoy Manor.

"NO!" Hermione shouted, when she realized where they were. "Not here!"

"Do you have a better suggestion? No one can touch us here. We should have come here in the first place!" Draco shouted back. He went in the house, and came back outside shortly with his mother and father in tow.

"Oh, is Harry hurt?" Mrs. Malfoy asked with concern.

Draco tried to remove Hermione from Harry, but she still had him in her arms. "Hermione, we have to get in the house, now!" Draco yelled. He reached around her middle and pulled her in the house by the waist. Lucius levitated Harry's unconscious body in the entryway. They shut and locked the door.

Hermione fought against Draco, forcing him to let her go. She ran back over to Harry's side. Mrs. Malfoy bent over him, to try to access his injuries. "Get away from him!" Hermione shouted.

"Hermione, she's trying to help him!" Draco said.

"Draco, control your fiancée," his father said.

"Why don't you control her?" Draco spat back.

Harry woke up and said, "Why don't you all shut up." He rubbed the back of his head. "Someone, tell me what's going on," he asked. Hermione threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Harry, it was a trick. Helena Boot lured Draco and us to the studio, then somehow the dressmaker stunned you, Don and Nick showed up, then some other wizards showed up, and there was a fight. I don't know what to think," Hermione said. She helped Harry to stand.

Harry took in his surroundings. He said, "I need to get back to the Ministry, and report to the Aurors. Hermione, I know you didn't want to be here, but I think you will be safe for now. After I am done at the Ministry, I'll let your parents know you are okay." He started to walk out the door, so he could apparate away, but Hermione ran to his side.

"Harry, I really can't stay here. Please, let me come with you," she said. Draco was standing in the doorway, listening. Harry looked up and caught Draco's gaze. He turned to Hermione, and she said again, "Please."

"Draco, come and get Hermione for me," Harry said. Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.

"Please, Harry, don't leave me here," she said.

"You are being irrational," Harry said. He did not really think she was. After all, this was the house where she was tortured and almost killed by Draco's aunt, and this was the place where just a couple of months ago she was held captive, but he also knew that she would be safe here, and at the moment, nothing else mattered.

"Harry!" Hermione said. Draco came up behind her and pulled her fingers from Harry's arms.

"Grow up, Hermione. I'll return," Harry said. He took two steps from her, turned back and saw her hurt expression, and then left. Hermione sank to the ground and cried.

Draco turned back and saw his mother and father's disapproving looks from the threshold of their house. His father looked disgusted and his mother looked embarrassed. He picked Hermione up, turned her in his arms, and held her tight. "Its okay, Hermione, we don't have to stay here. I'll take you wherever you want to go."

"Draco, come in the Manor now," his father boomed. He heard what his son had said to his fiancée.

Draco stroked her hair and said, "Ignore them and tell me, what you want to do?" He spoke softly in her ear and kissed her tear soaked cheek.

"I just don't know if I'm strong enough to face going in that house," she said meekly.

"Granger, you are the strongest person I know. Do not let bad memories keep you from facing your fears. However, I'm sincere when I say we will go wherever you want," Draco said. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, comforting her, with his slight swaying back and forth.

"Draco," Mrs. Malfoy said, "Please, you aren't safe out there. Come in the house."

Hermione took in what Mrs. Malfoy said and looked up at Draco, "Don't leave me alone one minute with your father." He smiled. He put his finger under her chin and kissed her. They walked together into the Manor.

At the Manor:

Hermione had been uncomfortable all day, to say the least. She had hoped Harry would return right away. She was also worried about Don and Nick, but mostly, she wanted word on when it would be safe to leave Malfoy Manor. There was no way she wanted to spend the night there.

They ate dinner in silence. After dinner, Draco's mother said she would have rooms made up for them in the west wing. Hermione was held in the south

wing before, so Mrs. Malfoy did not want her to have to stay there again. She asked Draco to come with her, to make sure the accommodations were all right. He looked over at Hermione, as she sat in the corner of the living room, reading. His father had retired to his study. He said, "Hermione, will you be alright here for a moment, if I go with my mother? My father is in his study." He thought he would throw that last part in there, to reassure her. Hermione looked up from her book and smiled her affirmation. Draco walked over, kissed the top of her head, and told her he would be right back.

Draco left the living room with his mother, leaving Hermione alone. She stared at Draco as he walked away. She started to read again, when she heard someone enter the room. It was Lucius, clearing his throat. Hermione's whole body tightened in response. Didn't she tell Draco not to leave her alone with Lucius? Which parts of those words were too complicated for him to understand? She sat in the chair, in the corner of the large room, her face toward the window, her book in her lap, her legs crossed, and her foot bobbing up and down.

"Miss Granger, do you have a nervous tick that I need to know about?" Mr. Malfoy asked as he sat down on one of the sofas.

Hermione looked over at him and said, "Excuse me?"

"If you keep moving your foot up and down at such an alarming rate, I am afraid that you might get a cramp in your leg. What is your problem, anyway? Have we been less than gracious to you? Have we caused you any physical discomfort or pain? My wife and I have graciously opened our home to you, and yet there you sit, in the corner, acting as if each moment here is a moment spent in hell," Lucius said. He stood up and walked over to her. She uncrossed her legs and put her hand in her pocket, to touch her wand.

"Are you going to hex me? I'm merely coming closer so I can speak with you," Lucius said.

Hermione stood up and said, "I think I will go find Draco." He put his hand in front of her to stop her.

"Stop being rude. He will return shortly. I think it's time we got to know each other better, since apparently you are marrying my son in two months," he drawled.

"Apparently?" she mocked. She walked around him and started to leave the room. He used his wand to shut the double mahogany doors. She whipped around and said, "What are you playing?"

"Miss Granger, I assure you, I am not playing at anything. I merely want to get to know the most famous Mudblood of them all, whom my son seems to think he loves. You won't deny me that privilege, surely," he said. He sat down in the chair she had just left.

Hermione glared at him and was very close to hexing him. She said, "First, kindly refrain from calling me a Mudblood. Second, your son is in love with me, I am in love with him, and there is nothing you can do about that. As for your assertions from earlier, you want to know when you caused me discomfort and pain, I will tell you. How about when you insisted that Don bring me here against my will, without knowledge as to where Draco was, and without telling him where I was, just a couple of months ago. How about when I was 18, and I was tortured in this very house, by your sister-in-law? How about when I was 16, and you and your little Death Eater friends decided to fight Harry and the rest of us at the department of mysteries? How about when you put Tom Riddle's diary in Ginny Potter's cauldron when she was a little girl? Do you want me to continue?"

He smiled and said, "My, what a good memory you seem to have. All of that is in the past, however, and if Mr. Boot's claims are correct, and you are the heir of two of the founders, well then, I think I can overlook your blood status, and consider you marrying my son."

"Overlook my blood status!" Hermione shouted. "Never overlook anything about me, Mr. Malfoy. I have had enough of this. I am leaving. Tell Draco that I am going back to my parent's house!" She ran from the room and started to the front door. Draco and his mother were walking down the long staircase at that exact moment.

"Hermione, dear, where are you going?" Mrs. Malfoy asked. Hermione looked back, caught Mrs. Malfoy's eye, and then looked over at Draco.

"Granger?" he asked. She did not respond. She opened the doors, and ran outside. He ran down the stairs after her. When he reached the door, she had already gone. "Bloody Hell!" Draco shouted, slamming the door shut. He ran to the living room and said, "What the hell did you say to her?"

His father said, "Your Mudblood fiancée has the manners of a pig, Draco, so she may think it's acceptable to speak to me that way in my own home, however, I will not have you speaking to me that way as well."

Draco looked at his father, then to his mother. "Mother, I'm sorry, but I have to go find her."

"It's not safe, son," his mother said.

Lucius Malfoy stood up and said, "Draco, your mother is right. You are staying here. Let her go to her people. We offered to keep her safe, and she declined. She will have to live with the consequences. I had a feeling if I called her out on a few things, she would bolt as soon as possible."

"You wanted her to leave?" Draco asked. Mrs. Malfoy even looked taken aback.

"Lucius, why?" his wife asked. "You know that Mrs. Boot woman wants her dead."

"Exactly, she wants the Mudblood dead, not our son," he said. He turned to Draco and said, "Listen, Son, it's not that I wish her dead, or even harmed, but I have to admit, I do not want you marrying that witch under any circumstances, and she was endangering your life, so it's best that you are rid of her."

Draco shook his head and said, "You won't ever change, will you? I am sorry Father, for I love you, but I love her more. All you have done is to ensure that you and I will never have a relationship again, and more the pity, for you will regret losing me, and your grandchildren, someday. Goodbye, Mother." Draco turned and kissed his mother goodbye and ran out the front doors.

You aren't Hermione:

Draco apparated directly to the Granger's house. The house was dark and quiet. No one was around. He called for her, several times, but could not see her anywhere. He looked upstairs, and then ran back downstairs. He opened the basement door and ran down the stairs. There, he saw Hermione, sitting in the middle of the room, on a lone chair, her arms in her lap, her head down. Something about the situation seemed staged to him. He stayed on the stairs, looked at her for a few moments, and then said, "What's wrong, Granger?"

There was no answer. He ran down the rest of the way. He put his hand on her shoulder. He shook her gently. Something was amiss. Something was not right. He removed his hand from her, and kneeled down to face her. He said again, "Granger? Hermione?"

She looked up. He yelled in fright! It was not her! It was not even remotely close to being her! He heard a maniacal laugh emitting from the person in the chair, and the 'fake' Hermione lifted up, and flew around the room, disappearing in a puff of smoke. He withdrew his wand and turned around. Behind him was Helena Boot.

"Mr. Malfoy," she greeted, her voice dripping in feigned sweetness. "Did you think I was your girlfriend? I have to admit, it fooled her parents as well."

"Where is Hermione?" he asked. His wand was pointed directly at her chest. With a wave of her hand, his wand flew to her.

"Didn't your parents ever teach you it was impolite to point?" she asked.

"Where is Hermione!" he demanded.

"Well, wouldn't we all like to know that one, dear," she said, smiling. She walked around him and with a swish of her hand; almost as if they were stuck in the wall, her parent's reflections appeared before him. "I know her parents are dreadfully worried about the poor girl. So is my son," she said. She moved her other hand, and next to the Grangers, appeared the reflection of Paul. All three looked to be behind glass, as they banged on the cold surface and yelled for help. "He thinks he loves her. He has been so hard to handle. It was easy in the beginning; his feelings were driven by lust, more than love, so it was easy for me to make him hurt her. But later, he really began to care for her and you as well, and that is when he was harder to control."

"Where are they?" Draco asked, pointing to their reflections on the wall.

"Oh, they are all safe, at my little hiding place, these are just their reflections. I might let her parents go, once I kill her, but then again, since we do not know which of her parents are from the magical line, we will probably have to kill both of them as well. You, however, dear boy, do not have to die. I already told your father that. However, he refused to help me, and turn her over to me. What a pity. At least now, I can use not only her parents as bargaining tools, but you as well." She pointed at Draco, and chains came out of nowhere, to bind his hands and feet. He toppled over.

"Why?" he asked from the floor. It seemed like the only thing he could ask.

She looked down at Draco and smiled. "My dear boy, you see, my son Nick had a prophecy, but even without that prophecy, I knew I had to kill her. She is the reason my son Terry died. I do not hold you responsible. You see, even though Mankin wanted revenge on you, you are not the reason Terry became involved. He became involved, because just like everyone else, little Miss Mudblood holds some sort of power over people. Terry thought he loved her. He never admitted as much, but I have the gift of second sight, and I could see what was in his heart. My son was good, Mr. Malfoy, and he would never have acted on his feelings, as long as she loved you, but that is why Terry became involved, because of her. That is why he died."

"Furthermore, it was long ago prophesied that the heir of Hufflepuff and Slytherin would bring about the end of the Ravenclaw line. Of course, I always thought I was that heir. I thought if I married the last of the Ravenclaw descendents, Henry Boot, and we had children together, then that little prophecy would not come true. The fact was, I thought my children's place in the magical world would be more powerful than any other's, even more so than Voldemort, for I assumed they came from three of the four founders, where Voldemort only came from one. It was a pity, really, that Henry was already married when I met him, with a little brat of a son. Of course, his first wife was easy enough to kill."

She continued walking around Draco, and she continued her rant, never raising her voice, or changing her intonation, or inflection. "Imagine my shock, when two years ago, right about the time Terry died, my son Nick had a prophecy. He was guarding you two, and his close contact with Miss Granger caused the visions to appear. I did not know at the time he was also a secret keeper, to the fate of the real heir. His prophecy was that the heir of Slytherin and Hufflepuff would come from a non-magical background, and that this 'woman', for he knew it was a woman, would have power beyond any other witch of our time. He said that she was preordained to heal the wounds created by Ravenclaw, and was meant to help the souls of the founders rest in peace. She was to be the future of Hogwarts, predestined as the greatest teacher, and then Headmistress, the school would ever have."

"He said that she would abolish the four houses, and reconcile those who in the past only honored prejudice and intolerance. He said he knew who this person was and how that was to come about. He never came out and said it was Miss Granger, for he could not reveal that secret, but he told me enough of his prophecy that I was able to figure out the rest."

"He had no knowledge that I had always thought I was that heir. His father knew and I found out later he told my sons. When I found out I was not the heir, I knew I only had one thing left to do. I had to kill the real heir. By killing her, I could end the prophecy that said she would end the Ravenclaw line. I could ensure that the four houses and the blood purity issues remained at Hogwarts, and I could assure that all of my followers, who had been faithful to me for 25 years, because they also thought I was the heir, would remain faithful to me forever. I knew I could carry out Salazar Slytherin's initial dream that only purebloods be taught at Hogwarts. Unlike Voldemort, I do not want the destruction of all Muggle borns. I just do not want them taught with our children. They are an abomination, their magic a mere birth defect."

Draco sneered from his place on the ground and said, "Yes, well, Hermione's birth defect, as you call it, comes from two of the most powerful wizards in our history. She is going to wipe the likes of you from the face of this earth, for she has more magical ability in her little finger, than you do in your whole pathetic body."

Helena laughed, and bent down, stroking Draco's bangs out of his eyes. "You dear, misguided, little boy, we will see who the most powerful witch is. Perhaps when you watch your little girlfriend disappear, as if she was nothing more than dust on the bottom of my shoe, you might whistle a different tune. I will kill her, before she can fulfill my son's prophecy, before she reunites the souls of Helga and Salazar, and before she can undo all that I have worked so hard in my life to preserve. Yes, Mr. Malfoy, she will die, and you will have the pleasure of watching. Do not worry, dear, I will not kill you, for you are a pureblood, and rumored to be a Ravenclaw descendant yourself, although I know that to be a lie. The Boots are the last of her heirs. I will, however, be more than happy to kill my stepson, in your place. I think he will give himself in sacrifice for your life. I have wanted to kill him since he was a small child and now I will have a perfect reason to do so."

She lifted one finger and Draco's body lifted from the ground. She forced him to stand. "My stepson and Miss Granger will perform the ceremony which you and she were to perform, but which my misguided son Nick decided to try to perform with her instead. Of course, Nick had no reason to believe that the ceremony would have killed you both, and damned the souls of Helga and Salazar forever. He thought he was being noble, taking your place, since he thought you could not remember. This time, I will have Don and Hermione perform the ceremony, and all my problems will be over."

Without touching Draco, she disapparated them both away. That was when Hermione and Don Boot came out from their hiding place, underneath the transfigured stone table.

When Hermione first arrived at her parent's house, Don Boot was waiting for her. He knew that his stepmother had taken the Grangers, for he had just come to protect them, and he saw the entire event unfold. He waited, for he had a feeling that Hermione would come back to there. When she did, he hid with her, shielding their bodies from Mrs. Boot, with magic, only seconds before Helena arrived. Only a few seconds later, Draco arrived.

"She's right, I will sacrifice myself for him, and for you, too," Don said, after Helena left with Draco. Hermione started crying, as he wrapped his arms around her. "Don't fear, Hermione. We will go to Nick and my father, and we will end all of this once and for all."


	37. Part XXXVII

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXXVII:**

Hermione feels guilty:

"Don, it's my fault. Now that horrible woman has Draco, my parents, and your brother. If I had just stayed at the Manor, none of this would have happened," she cried.

"Why did you leave?" Don asked her, also visibly upset.

"Mr. Malfoy was being terrible to me. I think he goaded me into leaving, but of course, I took the bait. My temper got the best of me. Did you hear her tell Draco that she tried to make a deal with Lucius?"

"Yes, and that disturbs me a bit," Don said. He pulled Hermione into his arms and said, "I have to go to my dad's house. Nick is there. We have to regroup and try to figure out what we need to do next."

"I know what we need to do. We need to go back to Hogwarts and complete the prophecy. We need to do the ceremony to reunite Helga and Salazar. I know that's what needs done first," Hermione said.

"Even if that's true," Don stated, "I don't know how to do that. Even Nick, as secret keeper, does not know. That information was passed down to him, but that is also lost. Damn, Helena! If only he still had that box!"

"What box?" Hermione asked.

"The box that's been passed down generation to generation, since Ravenclaw's time. It has been passed down by each secret keeper, whose sole purpose was to keep it safe, for in it is a scroll, which reveals the secret, written by Ravenclaw herself. Nick said Helena stole the box. It will do her no good, however, for the box can only be opened by the secret keepers and the heir, which in this case, is you. Helena must have thought she could open it, since she thought she was the heir," Don explained.

Hermione knew what box Don was referring, but still, she asked, "What does this box look like?"

"It's wooden, with a wooden inlay, and on top is the carved symbol representing the heir," Don said.

Hermione grabbed Don's hand, and dragged him up two flights of stairs, to her room. She opened her trunk and threw out her clothing. She reached in the trunk, put the box from her parent's closet in her hands, and showed it to him. "Do you mean this box?"

Don looked shocked. He started to reach for it, but drew his hands away. "How in the hell did you get that box?"

"Nick."

"When did he give it to you? From my understanding, that would be like him revealing the secret, which he took an oath not to do. That would have caused his death. How did he get around that and give it to you?" Don wondered.

"He didn't really give it to me. Somehow, my father bought it at a boot sale, and my mother hid it in the closet, and Draco and I found it, and my mother gave it to me," Hermione said. "Nick must have known my father's side was not the Slytherin/Hufflepuff side, so he made sure my dad was given this box, with the hope that it would get to me. I will give you this one; your brother is one smart cookie."

"That he is. Open it up," Don said. She did. He looked at the scrolls, and said, "Damned if I can decipher but a few of these. How will this help us?"

Hermione looked excited for a moment and said, "We will get Salazar to help us. He can decipher most runes."

Don looked skeptical, and said, "First, how are you going to get the spirit of Salazar to help you. We would have to go back to Hogwarts, and even then, you don't know how to call on him. Anytime he came to you, it was because you were in trouble."

"Well, I'm in trouble now, so he should have no problem seeking me out. We need to get to Hogwarts. You said she couldn't touch me there. You get your dad and Nick, and I need to contact Harry. It's the only way, Don," Hermione said.

"This will fulfill part of the prophecy, but the bigger problem will still be looming over us. Helena. She still has Draco, Paul and your parents. She is still intent on killing you and apparently me," said Don.

"I know this is what we must do first. I can feel it. I think it will help me defeat her somehow." Hermione looked so determined, that Don couldn't help but believe her.

He said, "I won't leave to get my dad or Nick until you contact Harry. We need to go do that now, for we don't have time to waste, and we really need to tell Draco's parents."

"No, no, I can't! It is my fault that he left. They will blame me! I can't face them!" Hermione was shaking her head no, as more tears sprang in her eyes.

Don walked up to her and put his arms around her. "You are right. It is your fault, so make it right, Hermione!"

Don had never been so blunt with her before, but she knew she had it coming. "I'll tell Harry, and then he and I will tell the Malfoys. Where shall we meet you?"

"Hogwarts," Don said. He kissed Hermione's cheek, and took her hand. "But, I wouldn't really abandon you. I told you that we would go together to tell Harry and the Malfoys. I just wanted to know if you were up to the challenge, because, believe me Hermione; you are going to be facing much worse very soon." He took her hand, and they apparated to the Ministry, to find Harry Potter.

Hermione and Don explained everything to Harry. He suggested that they have Ron and Bill come with them to Hogwarts. First, they all apparated to Malfoy Manor. Hermione knocked on the door. Mrs. Malfoy opened the door.

"Oh, Hermione, I am so glad you came back, dear. Is Draco with you?" she asked. She then saw the four men standing behind her. She yelled, "Lucius! Come here! Something's wrong!" She grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her in the foyer. The rest followed. "Tell me, is something wrong with Draco?"

"What in the world are all of you people doing in my house?" Lucius asked.

"Mr. Malfoy," Hermione said, "Helena Boot kidnapped your son."

Lucius' eyes filled with fury. He approached Hermione and grabbed her arm. Before he knew what to think, he had four wands pointed at him, from the four men standing behind Hermione. She said, "Please, everyone, put your wands away. Mr. Malfoy, I am sorry. I should never have left, although, you need to take some responsibility there, for you wanted me to leave, and I was just accommodating you. Draco came to my house to find me and Helena Boot was there. She took him away. She also has my parents and Don's youngest brother."

"So, what do you want from me?" he snapped.

"Nothing, I just wanted to let you know. I will get Draco back. I promise. Whether or not you believe me, I don't care, but I love Draco more than life itself, and I would do anything to see that he is safe. I would even exchange my life for him," she said sincerely.

He let go of her arm. He saw only truth in her eyes. "Again, I ask, what do you want from me?"

She was confused. She looked at Don, and then to Harry. She looked back at Mr. Malfoy and said, "Nothing. I want nothing from you. We are going back to Hogwarts, to perform the ceremony that you and Don tried to perform. We know how to do that now. After that, I will go and get Draco back."

Lucius laughed, though he found nothing funny about the situation. "You are but a little slip of a girl. You are going to single handedly rescue my son?"

"No," she said. "My friends will help me." The four men stood behind her, very determined.

"Wouldn't five helpers be better than four? My son said you were smart. Use that brain of yours and think for a moment. I will help you. He's my son, and you are right, it's partially my fault, for I drove you away, though, I have to admit, I expected a bit more of a fight from you. I thought you were made up of more spit and vinegar than you showed me earlier, Miss Granger."

"It's been a rough year," Hermione said, sadly.

"Then let's see it off to a better end," Lucius said. He turned to his wife, kissed her cheek, and left with the others. They were going to find Draco.

Salazar and Hermione have a talk:

It was dark and quiet at the excavation site. The Aurors were no longer guarding the area. Their resources were spent trying to find Helena Boot. Bill Weasley said he would go up to the castle, to let Minerva know what was happening. Don had yet to arrive, as he had gone to his father's house to meet with Nick. Therefore, that left Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and, as odd as it seemed, Lucius Malfoy.

"Hermione, do you know what you are looking for here?" Ron asked. He was carrying the box with the scroll for her.

She said, "No, but I hope someone finds me. He's helped me in the past and all I can hope for is that he will help me again."

"Who do you mean?" Ron asked.

"Slytherin," she answered. They sat on the cold ground to wait for the others, as Lucius paced back and forth.

"This is lunacy!" Lucius said. "We need to try to find my son, not visit some old castle ruins and wait for some ghost to visit!"

Harry and Ron soon joined Lucius, pacing back and forth. Hermione wished they would all stop. Soon, they were talking amongst themselves, 'we need to do this'; 'no, we need to do that'. Hermione wished they would all shut up so she could clear her head. She remained seated on the ground and looked over to the ruins of the castle. The area surrounding the underground chamber was roped off by the Ministry. Hermione felt compelled to go there. She looked back at Harry and the others, who were now strategizing and making plans. No one would notice if she was missing. This was something she needed to do on her own. She stood, picked up the box, and walked under the rope, which led to the stone steps, leading down to the chamber. She lit her wand and had only taken a few steps, when she heard Harry call out, "Hermione? Where did you go?"

She continued down the stairs. She heard Harry say, "Did she go down to that chamber? Hermione!" She heard Harry approach the stairs, and then she heard nothing else. She was transformed from the present day, to the era of her visions. She was in the chamber with what appeared to be a living, breathing, Salazar Slytherin.

"So, dear maiden, we meet again. I was beginning to think you were a figment of my imagination, for it's been months since I have seen you," he said, leaning against a wall.

Hermione put the box down, and said, "I've been away. I am sorry. I need your help."

"Of course you do, that's all I ever do, is help you. I am beginning to think we have a one sided relationship," he smiled at her.

"If you help me this time, then believe me, it will be for your benefit as much as mine," Hermione said. She walked over to the box, pointed at it, and said, "Have you ever seen this box before?"

"No," he said.

She opened the box and removed the scrolls. She said, "Do you think you can help me figure out what these runes mean?"

"No," he said again.

"Why not?" she asked.

He appeared to laugh at her and said, "Dear girl, I don't need to help you figure out what is on that scroll, for though I have never seen that box before, the scroll in your hand belonged to me. I already know what it says."

Hermione sighed a sigh of relief, and said, "Thank goodness. At least, I hope it will be good news. I hope it will help me."

He said, "Tell me your story, and I will tell you if these scrolls will be of any use to you."

Hermione started at the beginning. She did not know if it was her place to tell him that Helga had a child by him, but she could not leave out that part. She started with Voldemort, for she had to tell Slytherin first how she came to possess Hufflepuff's cup. She then told him about what happened last summer, the cup, the cylinder, and the excavation site. She told him about her visions, and about her night terrors, and how she was led to believe that he was the one hurting her. She told him about Helena Boot and about Rowena Ravenclaw taking away Helga's child. She then told him about the real prophecy, and that Helena was not the heir after all. He seemed to listen with compassion, and at times, rage. When she was done, he asked one thing, "Are you my heir?"

"Yes, and I am Muggle born."

He screamed in anger and she was afraid, for she did not know what caused his wrath. Was it learning of Ravenclaw's lies? Was it finding out that he lost his only love because she was afraid of him? Or was it to discover that his only descendents were an evil wizard, who almost destroyed their world, killed by her best friend, and herself, a mere Muggle born. She ducked her head in her shoulder and turned from him. The little anti-chamber grew dark, then light, then a powerful wind blew. Hermione was knocked to the ground.

She put her hands over her head and began to cry. He would never help her now. She should not have told him. Maybe she should have told him that Draco was the heir. After all, Draco was a pureblood. But, the lies had to stop sometime.

The earth under her rumbled and she could once again hear her friends calling for her. She opened her eyes, and she was back inside the ruins of the underground chamber, back to her time, back to darkness and despair. She called out, "Please, help me!" She was calling to Salazar. Her friends heard her and thought that she was calling to them. Harry tried to enter the chamber, but he was thrown far away from it. Ron tried, and the same happened to him. Even Lucius tried to use a spell to enter, and he too was thrown away.

Hermione heard Harry and Ron shouting for her. She also heard new voices. She heard Don and Bill, as well as Nick. She lit her wand, and tried to walk up the stairs to them, but suddenly, there were no stairs.

"Where are you going?" a voice behind her asked.

She turned around, and he was back.

"I am so sorry. It was not my place to tell you any of this, and I know your views on Muggle borns. Believe me, if I could spare you the heartache of having me for your heir, I would, but I cannot. The only thing that is important now is to find my parents, find my fiancée, make Helena Boot pay, and to reunite yours and Helga's souls. Please, help me and I will help you."

He looked at her with a meaningful stare and said, "You ask a lot from me, but I ask a lot from you, as well."

"I'm not sure what you have asked from me, but please, I don't know where else to go. I know that my visions weren't coming from you or Helga, so I can only assume they were coming from Ravenclaw, and if I could seek her help, I would, but I don't know how."

He laughed, and said, "She never helped you. She would not have gone to all that trouble, so many centuries ago, to preserve her own line, and then try to help you now. Someone else helped you. I think it may have been Helga."

"But, I was shown things Helga never knew," she said.

"You don't know that for sure. Perhaps she found these things out, and was unable to communicate to me, so she has been trying to communicate with you. Perhaps she knew all along you were our heir, and because she was afraid of my views on Muggle borns, she was afraid to reveal to you outright who you were, so she wanted you to discover things on your own."

Hermione recalled the night she was hypnotized by Nick, and Helga appeared and told Nick that she was trying to tell Hermione her secret. "Helga did appear to me, but only in dreams. She appeared each night and tried to tell me things, without scaring me. She told my friends that she had to reveal the truth to me, and that it was only me that she could talk with. She said that you were accused of murdering her, and wanted to show you the truth. She said that you tried to reveal the truth to me as well, but that my friends turned to wolves and scare you off. Is that true?"

"It's true that I tried to communicate to you, but I never murdered her. Are you sure those are the words she used?"

"You forget," Hermione said, "The part of her soul that I released from the Horcrux did indeed think that you killed her. Maybe her message to you is that she knows she did not die. I don't know. I'm confused," Hermione admitted. She then said, "Tell me, do you know why I have this?" She lifted her shirt, to show him the faint outline of the scar from the wound that was created on her abdomen, the night Salazar tried to communicate to her.

"I put that there. Your lover has one as well, on his shoulder," Salazar said.

"Why? What do they mean?" she asked.

"They are necessary, for you are the ones who must perform the ceremony that I wrote upon those scrolls. You are the ones who are destine to set us free from the hell on earth in which we have spent the last thousand years. I marked you as such myself. I was not aware of Helga contacting you as well. However, it appears that she was aware of me," Salazar concluded.

"Why did you mark us?" Hermione asked.

"Because you released my soul from the Horcrux, and you forget, my dear, I made that Horcrux myself, as well as Helga's Horcrux. I made them so that our souls could not be released, except by placing the Horcruxes together, and then, only by our own hand, or by the hand or our heir."

"You've known all along that I was your descendent?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, all along," he said.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"It wasn't my place to tell you. I did not know how you would receive this information. I had hoped you would find this out on your own," he admitted.

"Then you aren't angry that I am Muggle born?" she asked.

"No, my anger is directed elsewhere, and believe me, I will be avenged. I will help you, Hermione. I owe Helga that much. I owe you that much."

The Truth in the Scrolls:

Salazar said, "Your friends above ground are worried about you. Are you sure you want to continue, or shall we do this another day?"

"Now, please," she said.

"Sit down, child. It's a rather long story," Salazar said.

Hermione was once again transposed to the chamber of his day. There was the stone table. She sat down on one side, and he on the other. He said, "The truth was, I did leave Helga and the others. It was wrong, and my pride caused me to stay away. When I heard of the fight for the land, and the fact that the evil Darians wanted to barter for Helga, I came back, but it was too late. She had already been taken. I won't repeat the story that you already know, but you are aware what happened after that."

Hermione interrupted, and said, "You killed the eldest Darian, and created your Horcrux, in the cave."

"Yes. Do you recall in your visions something about a wand? The eldest brother had a wand, which connected him to all his brothers. His wand had the power to control all of their wands."

"I do recall that. What happened to that wand?" she asked.

"I took it. I hid it where no one would ever find it," he smiled.

"Why?" she asked.

"Let me tell you some other truths first," he said. "Ravenclaw did lead Helga to believe that she was also with child. She told Helga that the child was Godric's. This is why I know that Helga is the one who must have provided you with the visions. She must have found out our child did not die, but she also knew that Rowena's child lived. She thought that child was Godric's, because that is what Rowena told her. That was a lie."

"Whose child was it?" Hermione asked.

"The eldest Darian brother. The one that lusted after Helga. Rowena went to him, to try to convince him to take her over Helga. She did it for selfless reasons. She really did love Helga. All he did was rape her, and then caste her out, for he still wanted Helga. Rowena was ashamed, so she told no one, but me. She wanted me to help her get rid of the child. When I refused, she decided to run away, and she convinced Helga to leave with her. From your story, I gather that she convinced Helga that I would never accept our child. She was wrong. I would have. I think that was Rowena's way of seeking revenge on me for not helping her."

"I believe that Rowena still wanted to get rid of the evil that was her own child, but that she could not do that, anymore than she could kill Helga's. Why she did not keep Helga's child and get rid of her own instead, the child born from evil, I will never know, but I do know that this Helena Boot you tell me about, does not come from my best friend's line. She has no Gryffindor in her. She has Darian blood. My guess is that she has known this all along. My guess is that she never thought she was my heir. I think she has always known you were the heir, and she knew about my little safeguard. You see, I made it so that only a descendent of Helga's and mine together could find the wand. This is also the reason she cannot touch you here. She can come to Hogwarts, but she can never hurt you. Another piece of my magic. When I killed the last of the Darians, I enchanted the grounds so that none of them could ever hurt Helga or her line ever again. That's why she can't hurt you here."

Hermione was confused, and asked, "Why could she Imperius her sons to hurt me here? Wouldn't they be Darian descendents as well?"

Salazar said, "That one confuses me. Perhaps she is not their mother? Perhaps they were not the ones who hurt you; perhaps those are more of her lies. I do not know. I do know that you must find the wand, destroy this woman with this wand, and then your lover and your parents will be free. Then, you must come back here and perform the ceremony from the scrolls. Please, set us all free."

"How do I find the wand?" she asked.

He put his hands on the stone table and said, "These are very interesting runes, don't you think?"

"I suppose," she said.

"Do you know their meaning?" he asked.

"Draco and I were working on deciphering the runes, but then we gave up, for they didn't hold the secrets we thought they did. We thought they would lead us to the heir," she said.

"Maybe they will lead you to other answers. Go to the real table, finish deciphering the runes, find the wand, kill this woman, and then promise me, you and your lover will come back," he said.

"I'm not sure I can do that. The last time I touched the real table, I was rendered unconscious. Are you certain this is the way it must be? Must I find the wand first?" she asked.

"Find the wand, Hermione. You are my heir, so I do not doubt your abilities. Find the wand, and give me the justice that has long forsaken me. Kill this evil woman," he said. "I believe in you. This is what I have wanted you to do from the beginning. This is what I tried to communicate to you, not even knowing you were my heir. I merely wanted you to find my heir, and have this done. I did not know that Helga was seeking your help as well. Perhaps tonight, you can help us both. Go, Hermione, for your friends are close to being panicked now. Tell them everything, or nothing, it does not matter, for in the end, it must be you against her, and no one else. I will be waiting for you. I cannot leave here, so I cannot come with you. Be strong." He smiled weakly and disappeared. The lightness and the vision of the past disappeared, and she was once again in the complete darkness of the present day chamber. She lit her wand once more, found the stairs, and ran up to her friends.


	38. Part XXXVIII

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXXVIII:**

Discoveries:

Hermione knew what she had to do. She just had to convince everyone to let her do it on her own. She ran up the stone stairs, and when she reached the moonlit night, and the chill of the evening air hit her face, she realized immediately something was amiss. Where was everyone? She didn't know how much time had passed, or how long she had been down in the stone chamber, but she knew everyone was above ground waiting for her, for she heard them yelling for her earlier. Where were they now? She held out her lit wand and called out, "Harry? Ron?"

There was no answer.

She was afraid, yet she was still determined. She had to find the stone table and finish deciphering the ruins.

She ran around to the backside of the excavation site, and there, brightly lit by the moon, was the stone table, over a thousand years old, and ominous as ever. She approached the table and put the stone box down beside it. She went over to the Slytherin side, and tried to read the runes written upon the surface. She and Draco had been concentrating on the Ravenclaw side. Hermione wrongly thought her visions were from Ravenclaw, and because in the vision that Hermione had where she saw Ravenclaw's ancestral home, she saw many of the same runes on the walls of the home, as she did on the table, and she thought at the time that was significant.

She was afraid to touch the table; so instead, she stood above it and looked at the runes closely. She had one of those light bulb moments of discovery, and she almost laughed in delight. The truth hit her suddenly, as if she was a young child who suddenly figured out a riddle, all on its own. Why didn't she see this before? She knew exactly where the wand was and the clue was there all along.

The cave. One simple rune, a rune in which she had always known what it meant. A symbol meaning the word, cave. The cave where the Darian took Helga, the cave where Slytherin made his Horcrux, and the cave where Draco had gone that day they were lost in the woods, and he saw his first vision. It was almost so effortless, that she laughed at the simplicity of it all. Slytherin must have known she would figure it out quickly. The wand never left the cave. This simple symbol would not mean anything to anyone, if the person didn't know the significance of the cave.

She ran around to the other side of the excavation site. She simply had to find her friends. She had to have them help her locate the cave and then they had to help her find the wand. She pointed her wand in the air, sending off red sparks. Perhaps if they had left the site, to wander the woods looking for her, they would see the sparks and know that she needed them.

She waited what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only a few minutes. When no one came, she decided to look for the cave herself.

Harry Potter was worried. They had been looking all around the excavation site for Hermione. They heard her scream, "Please help me" and then they heard nothing else. They tried to enter the underground anti-chamber, but each time they approached, they were thrown away. They were ready to blast a hole in the ground, when the most unexpected thing happened. Hermione appeared behind them.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione asked.

Harry ran up to her and hugged her tight. "Where were you? We looked everywhere for you. We heard you scream for help."

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I know what we have to do. It was so easy and simple; I can't believe I didn't think of it before. I know where she is holding Draco and my parents. Come on," and Hermione started running.

Harry yelled, "Hermione! Stop! Tell us where we are going first."

"There's no time," Hermione pleaded.

"Don and Nick went back up to the castle with Lucius, to wait for the Aurors. We should at least wait for them," Ron said.

"I can't wait any longer! Please, we have to go now, my parents and Draco needs me!" Hermione shouted.

Harry came up and grabbed her hand. She snatched it away. He immediately knew this was not Hermione. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he did. It was something about her eyes and the fact that when he touched her hand, he felt nothing recognizable about her at all. He said, "Fine, Hermione, take us wherever you want." He gave Ron a knowing look and Ron seemed to understand. 'Hermione' began to run up the hill, back toward the school and Harry and Ron followed.

When they had almost reached the school, Harry took out his wand and stunned Hermione as she ran in front of him. Don Boot was running toward them, and he withdrew his wand and pointed it toward Harry.

"What did you do, Harry?" Don asked, shocked.

"This isn't Hermione." Harry walked up to the imposter and added, "I know it isn't. She is still down in that chamber. We have to get back to her. Where are Nick and Lucius?"

"They are waiting for my father and members of the Brotherhood of the Raven, as well as for the Aurors," Don said. He looked at 'Hermione' as she lay unconscious on the ground. He knew that Harry must be convinced, for he would never hurt his best friend.

"Ron, you take this imposter up to the castle. Bind her so she cannot leave. Call the Aurors, and then tell Nick what's going on here. Don, come with me." Harry and Don ran back toward the excavation site. When they were still far away, they saw red sparks fill up the dark night sky. They followed the sparks, hoping to find Hermione. Instead, when they reached the excavation site, they saw nothing.

"Where could she be?" Don asked. Harry sent up his own sparks, waiting to see if she would respond.

Hermione tried to remember the way to the cave. She found the path she and Draco had taken the day of their walk. The thing was she had never been to the cave. She had no idea where to continue from there. She felt like crying and screaming in frustration. Then she saw it, red sparks. Someone saw her distress signal. She put her wand up high in the air, and sent off more sparks. Please, someone see them! Next, she said, "If only Draco was here! He would know where the cave is! Salazar, you stupid fool! Just tell me how to find the cave!"

She heard a laugh behind her and turned around. There, behind her, standing on the path in the forest, was Helena Boot. Helena drew Hermione's lit wand to her free hand, and put it in her robe. She said, "The cave? Is that where the old fool hid the wand of my ancestors? How simple. I should have known. I knew about the cave, and the Horcrux. I knew that was where he killed the eldest brother, but never in my wildest dreams did I think he would be stupid enough to hide the wand there, or perhaps, it was not stupidity, perhaps it was ingenious after all, for I know I would never have thought to look there. Well, Miss Granger, let's go to the cave."

Hermione glared at Helen and said, "I don't think we will go there. For one thing, I don't even know where the cave is, and for another, you can't make me, for you can't hurt me, not here on the grounds of Hogwarts."

"Yes, yes," Helen said, with a frown, "Another one of Slytherin's little safeguards. I cannot hurt you on the grounds of Hogwarts; however, I can hurt someone you love. Mr. Malfoy, would you mind coming out from your hiding place, and showing us how to get to the cave?"

The Return of Draco Malfoy:

Draco came walking up the path from behind a tree. His hands were bound and he had a gag over his mouth. He looked battered. He was bruised, and bleeding. He took one-step, and then stopped. Hermione started to rush toward him, but stopped as well. Helen looked angry and said, "Must you force me to continue to use the Crucio on you, Mr. Malfoy. I will, I will hurt you again, if you do not come to me, and show me how to get the cave!" With her wand, she removed his shackles and gag.

Hermione shouted, "Draco, please, do as she says!"

He said, "No, Hermione. I won't do as she says."

Helena pointed her wand at Draco and he dropped to the ground, withering in pain. He cried out. Hermione screamed, "Stop it! Don't hurt him! Draco, take us to that cave!"

Helena stopped the curse, walked up to Draco on the ground, and put her foot on his face. She looked down and said, "You heard your little Mudblood whore, take us to the cave."

"Kill me, for I shall not show you the way to the cave," Draco said, in a ragged voice.

Hermione was close to tears. Draco looked up at her and said, "Be brave, Hermione."

Helena sighed and said, "Mr. Malfoy, do you really think you will take all the pain for her. Even though I cannot personally hurt her that does not mean I cannot get others to hurt her. I may not be able to use my sons, since their Darian blood keeps them from inflicting pain on her at Hogwarts, but I can use others. I have used my stepson all these months to inflict pain on her and neither was the wiser. He is here now, on the grounds, and I can easily manipulate him to hurt her. I have used others as well. Davina McWhorter, the stupid woman, she was easy to use. Even your father. I could use him to kill her. Is that what you want? Just show us the way to the cave, or you both die." She raised her wand and cursed him again. This time, he cried out in pain for many long minutes. Hermione screamed as well.

Harry Potter and Don Boot heard the screaming, and ran toward the screams. Harry recognized the screams of Hermione, and he only hoped it wasn't too late to save her.

"PLEASE! Stop it! Don't hurt him any longer!" Hermione shouted. Helena released the curse, and Hermione ran up to Draco. He was close to unconsciousness, and he was barely breathing. Hermione put her hand to his face and wiped his tears. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Please, Draco, tell me how to get to the cave." She leaned down once more and whispered in his ear, "I will kill her once I get to the cave, just tell me how to get there." Hermione sat back up and her tears were gracefully falling down her cheeks. Draco looked up in her eyes.

"Hermione, she will kill you. Let me die for you," Draco said.

"I can't!" Hermione cried. Helen used her wand and hexed Draco once more. Hermione threw her body over his, as he moaned and screamed in pain.

"STOP IT! STOP IT! We can find the cave without him!" she yelled at the older woman.

"I don't think I will stop it," Helena said, walking in circles around the two. Hermione had her body over Draco, as he lay on the ground, now crying with pain. Helen said, "Isn't true love sweet? My husband's first wife loved her son and husband so much that she too gave her life for them. I will never understand that sacrifice, but then again, I do not really love anyone, so I guess I will never have to make that type of choice. I will never know that burden. I do not even love my sons. I was hoping Ravenclaw's old aunt's prophecy would come to fusion, and that Miss Granger would kill Paul and Nick, the way she killed Terry. Now, I will have to kill them myself. As for poor Terry, I am tired of pretending to mourn for a son a never even loved. I am tired of acting as if I want revenge for his death. Once I am alone, I will be the only Ravenclaw heir left, and with the power of my real forefather's wand, I could be more powerful the Lord Voldemort himself."

Hermione looked up at the witch as she circled them. She said, "You always knew you weren't the Slytherin/Hufflepuff heir. You knew you belonged to the Ravenclaw/Darian line." It was not a question; it was a statement of fact.

"Yes, of course I knew! I haven't always known, but I've known for a while. My son's second sight is nothing to mine, although he thinks his power is greater! Ravenclaw did indeed lie all those years to her heirs, and she told them that my line was from her and Gryffindor. However, years ago, I had a vision, which told me the truth. It was confirmed two years ago when my sons started protecting you, and then later Nick had his first vision, the one about the prophecy of the heir. He found out the true story, of how the founders found this land, how they fought the evil Darians, and how Ravenclaw came to dispose of Helga's child, and do you know how he found out all of this? You revealed all of this to him, Miss Granger, unknowingly of course, after Helga revealed it to you, when you released her spirit from the Horcrux. That was when I knew that no one yet knew about my real parentage. Helga never knew, so that was not revealed to you. It was only revealed to me in my vision, by Ravenclaw herself."

"I thought if I could get the wand, the wand from the eldest brother, then I could have the power that I rightly deserved. I could seek vengeance against the Hufflepuff/Slyerthin heir, and I could destroy this person, who was prophesied to be the greatest, most powerful witch of our time. I have worked too hard all my life to maintain my status, for a Mudblood to come along and take it away from me. I have killed greater people than you to keep my position secure."

Draco lay on the ground, breathing hard. Hermione remained at his side, during Helena's admission. Hermione was stroking Draco's hair. Helena smiled. She said, "Mr. Malfoy, would you really die for your one true love?"

"Don't answer," Hermione said.

"I'll answer. Yes, I will," Draco said, struggling to sit.

"Thank you. I know what I must do," Helena said. She took two steps back and pointed her wand at Draco. Hermione put her body in front of his. Helena moved Hermione aside with a flick of her wand. She said, "How noble, Hermione, you are willing to die for him as well, and I think that is what I will let you do."

Hermione stood slowly, looking at the smiling face of Helena Boot. If she had just met the woman, she would have looked at her serene smile, and beautiful features, and felt warmly toward her. As it was, this only led to Hermione's weariness of her. Helena said, "You see, Draco, it was so easy to make you hurt Hermione before, all those months ago, that I think I will do it again. You say you are willing to die for her, but are you willing to kill her?"

Helena pointed her wand at Draco and shouted, "Imperio!"

Draco stood from his spot on the ground and rushed toward Hermione. He took her narrow neck in his hands and squeezed. Her eyes watered, as her hands went to his. She was soon on her knees before him, eyes watering, coughing, and unable to breath. Helena released the spell long enough for Draco to be aware of what he was doing. He tried to run away, to no longer hurt her, but Helena cursed him again, and as Hermione lay on the ground, clutching her neck, Draco stepped up to her, lifted her, and threw her against a tree. He then went up to her, and slapped her face, not once, not twice, but three times.

"STOP!" Hermione screamed. "Please, Draco, fight this!" Hermione was crying on the ground. She reached for his face.

"Are you going to persuade your lover not to kill you? Is your love strong enough to make the Imperio curse impermeable?" Helena asked. With a small motion of her wand, she made Draco grab Hermione by the hair, and stand her up. He gripped her shoulders and shook her hard, and then he threw her once more to the ground. He kicked her hard in the ribs. Helena released the spell.

Draco, realizing what he had done, yelled, "Stop it you stupid bitch! I will take you to the cave!" He tried to bend down to Hermione, but she was afraid, and she cowered behind a tree. "Hermione!" Draco yelled. Helena smiled.

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy, let's go to the cave. Pick up your little Mudblood fiancée, for we might need her when we get there," Helena said.

Draco bent down, and picked up Hermione's crying, battered, form. He cradled her in his arms, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She whispered, "Are you okay?"

"Hermione," Draco cried, "I beat the hell out of you, and you want to know if I'm okay?"

"Enough talking, young lovers," Helena said from behind. Draco led Helena down the path, toward the hill that would lead to the cave.

Harry Potter knew in his heart those red sparks were from Hermione. He and Don Boot ran as fast as they could. Please, he thought, send us another warning! Harry knew if he found them, it would take every bit of resolve for him not to kill Helena, for he knew she had Hermione. However, Don knew that they had to be careful, for Helena was very powerful, and there was no telling what might happen to Hermione's parents and his brother Paul if they were too hasty. He wanted to be sure that when they overpowered her, it would be the end of her for all time.

In the Cave:

Hermione was silently weeping, her tears staining Draco's shirt. He hated himself. He had never wanted to hurt her again. He hated Helena Boot even more. He was sure that the hate he felt for this woman rivaled the hate that Salazar Slytherin felt for the oldest Darian ten centuries ago. As they climbed the rocky terrain, Draco almost slipped twice. He tried to be as gentle and careful with Hermione as he could. He wished he could talk to her, tell her everything was going to be all right, but he truly didn't think they would.

Helena walked behind them, holding the ancient box under her arm. Draco and Hermione reached the mouth of the cave, when Helena said, "Stop walking, Mr. Malfoy."

He stopped, with Hermione still in his arm.

"We won't need you any longer, so you can put Miss Granger down now, and she and I will go alone into the cave," Helena said.

"No," Draco said plainly.

Helena smiled and said, "Must I force you to hurt her again? Do you secretly wish to kill her? Perhaps you regret your decision to marry her. Don't fear, she will be dead soon, and you will be free to find another. Now put her down."

She talked so calmly, it was as if she was saying, 'It's such a nice day today'.

Draco slid Hermione out of his arms and she winced in pain. She could hardly stand on her own. Helena pointed her wand at Draco, and rope came out of nowhere, binding his hands to a nearby, low-lying, pine tree. Helena said, "When this is all over, and if you feel your mourning is too much for you, I will be merciful and kill you if you wish. Then, perhaps, your spirits will be mourning each other for all time, just like Helga and Salazar. What a sad little story they had. Perhaps your story will end better. Perhaps you will forget about her and move on."

"You will die, you stupid bitch," Draco said.

Helena smiled, and patted Draco's cheek. "I'm the one with second sight, and believe me, I don't see that happening at all." As Hermione fell to the ground, Helena pushed her slightly with her foot. "Miss Granger, I trust you will be good for a few moments. I need to prepare some things in the cave, before we search for the wand. I trust you won't try anything rash, like running away, but since you are so hurt, that might not be a problem. Just in case, let me secure you as well. Perhaps you would like to be tied next to Mr. Malfoy, so you may say your goodbyes. That way, you will know that I am a benevolent woman. I can have a heart. I will see that you have a last moment together, before you die."

With yet another simple flick of her wand, Hermione was thrown next to Draco. Try as he might, as he struggled to reach her, his hands were still bound tight around the tree. She used her wand to tie Hermione's arms behind her, and around the same tree. Hermione cried out, as one of her arms was surely already broken.

Helena smiled at the pair and said, "You know what, maybe I'm not as charitable as I thought, for I just thought of something quite wicked. I think I will let Mr. Malfoy here kill you after all. Why should I soil my hands? Knowing your great-great- great- (how many greats?) Grandfather Salazar, he probably had some safeguard against that as well. Yes, Mr. Malfoy shall kill you. That's a wonderful plan." She leaned down, patted Hermione's face, and stroked Draco's hair, then left the pair, to enter the cave.

Hermione was crying, and breathing hard. As soon as the evil woman left them, Draco turned to his left and said, "I am so sorry, Hermione. I never wanted to hurt you." He wanted to reach out and hold her, kiss her, tell her everything was okay.

"I know, please, don't blame yourself. It's entirely my fault. If I had not left your father's house, none of this would have happened," Hermione said, looking over her shoulder to Draco.

"This would have happened anyway," Draco said. He knew that in his heart.

"Did you see my parents? Are they alive?" Hermione asked hoarsely.

"I don't know. She brought me here the minute we left your house. She said she knew you would come here," Draco said.

"Oh, Draco, what are we to do?" Hermione continued to cry, and he wanted nothing more than to comfort her.

"Keep your head in the cave. You are smarter than that woman," Draco said. "You have stronger magical abilities. I've seen it before and I know it's true."

"She's a very powerful witch," Hermione said.

"So are you," he said back.

"No matter what happens, if I do die, please, carry on," Hermione said.

"For goodness sakes, Hermione, this isn't a muggle soap opera. Don't talk of such things. No one is dying today, except for that witch," Draco seethed with anger. He was angrier than he had ever been in his life, and he wanted to direct every bit of anger right at that witch who had turned this past year into hell for them.

"Draco, I'm serious. I know you. If she forces you to kill me, you will kill yourself. I don't want you to die. Please, tell me you still carry on!" Hermione was close to hysterics.

Draco turned to look at her. She was bleeding, and bruised, and it all came from his hands. He knew she was right. If he was the one who killed her, he could never live with himself. He wasn't about to lie to her now, so he said, "Hermione, the only thing I can promise you is that before I die I will kill that woman."

"We were supposed to get married soon. I really wanted to be your wife," Hermione said sadly, her tears abated.

"I want that as well," Draco said. "It's unspeakable to think that we won't be together. I don't even want to think of such things. I didn't even know what love was until I sat in that compartment of that train almost three years ago, and bumped your foot with mine."

"I thought I knew what love was, because I have felt love from so many wonderful people all my life, but I never knew what 'being in love' was until you," Hermione said sadly. She looked at Draco. "To touch you once more, that's all I want." She couldn't stop the tears this time. They freely flowed down her face.

Draco looked at the ground. He screamed and fought against the ropes binding his arms behind his back. The bark of the tree was cutting into his skin. He looked back over at her, and he too began to cry. He wanted to be strong for her, but his resolve was broken. "Please, stop crying, Hermione." She looked at him, and tried to stop, but could not.

"Tell me you love me," Hermione said, "So when I die, I will know that one truth."

"You aren't dying today, and of course, I love you," Draco said. He again fought against the ropes, but to no advantage.

Helena came walking out of the cave, and said, "Oh, look, how the mighty have fallen. You poor little girl. If I didn't know it was true, I would never know that the crying little thing in front of me is supposed to be the most powerful witch of a generation." She walked over to Hermione, unbound her hands, and pulled her up by her hair. "Let's go find that wand, Miss Granger. The faster I find the wand, the sooner you will be out of your misery." She had her wand in Hermione's back. She turned to Draco and said, "After we find the wand, I will return for you, and you will have the pleasure of killing your lover. Won't that be very special for you, Draco dear?" Helena actually smiled, and Draco watched as Hermione and Helena left to enter the cave. When he was sure they were out of range, he screamed. He screamed out of pain, frustration and anger. He screamed in mourning of what had happened and what was about to be. He screamed because he was powerless to do anything else.

Down in the forest, Harry Potter and Don Boot heard his screams.

In the ruins of the original castle, another heard his screams. He knew that scream. He had screamed a familiar scream, many centuries before. It was the scream of a man who felt he had lost everything, a scream of a man who felt he had lost the woman he loved. Well, not again. This would not happen again.


	39. Part XXXIX

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XXXIX:**

Part I:

Harry and Don continued to run through the dark forest, edging closer and closer to the sound of the never-ending screams. Was someone being tortured? Don finally became familiar with his surroundings. He said, "We are near the cave where Salazar made his Horcrux." Harry did not need to hear another word. He started up the hill, toward the cave, Don right behind him.

When they reached the mouth of the cave, they saw a beaten down, broken, Draco Malfoy, tied to a tree, no longer screaming, but totally overwhelmed. Don ran up to him, released his hands, and embraced him. "Draco, where's Hermione?"

He did not know if his voice would even emit sound, as his throat was so raw from screaming so much and for so long. He pointed toward the cave and said one word, "Helena."

Harry started in the cave, but Don yelled, "Wait!"

"No, she has Hermione," Harry said.

"We need to send a message to the others," Don said. He pointed his wand toward the general direction of the school, and sent his brother his patronus. He bent back down toward Draco, and said a healing spell, to heal his lacerations and abrasions. "Draco, tell us everything."

Draco told them how Helena and he apparated to the excavation site, and that they saw Harry, Ron, his father, and Hermione when they first reached the site. He told them that they waited, and then they saw a 'false Hermione' lead Harry and the others away from the site. He then said that they followed the 'real' Hermione to the forest. He told them how Helena had known for a while about her real heritage. He also told Don that Davina McWhorter, and then Don, along with himself, had been the ones hurting Hermione all those months.

Don could not believe it. "I never thought I was the one that was hurting her," Don said remorsefully. Draco put his hand on the other man's arm, to comfort him. He knew how he felt.

"She said she killed your mother, Don," Draco said. Don looked as if someone had literally shocked him. "She also said that she never loved any of her sons, and she was tired of pretending. We have to get in there and protect Hermione."

All three went toward the cave's entrance, and tried to enter, when they found the way blocked with magic. Not knowing what else to do, Draco screamed once more. "Calm down, Draco. There has to be another way in," Harry said.

He started to climb the hill, to search for another entrance. Don followed. Draco stayed by the main entrance, pacing back and forth. He turned quickly when he sensed an entity nearby. He could see no one, but he said, "Who's there?"

The dark figure soon came into focus. It was the spirit of Salazar Slytherin.

"The others won't be able to enter," Salazar said.

"Why not?" Draco asked.

"Only you will be able to, another protection, I suppose," Salazar said. He seemed weary.

"Your protection or Helena's?" Draco asked.

"My own. I did not want anyone to enter the cave when Helga was recovering, so I made it so only her true love, which was I, and the Darian, whom I wanted to kill, could enter. It is the same now. Hermione represents Helga, that evil woman represents the dark wizard, and you, boy, represents me. You alone may enter. You alone must save her. I cannot find my heir to have her suddenly gone again. You and she must live, to perform the ceremony to reunite mine and Helga's fractured souls. Go to her, sir. Save your love, the way I was never able to save mine."

"I don't have my wand," Draco said. He felt as if he was in a dream. Was he really having a conversation with the spirit of one of Hogwarts founders?

"You won't need your wand. It must be my heir who kills her in the end, and it must be with the Darian's wand. Go to her," Salazar said. "I will be there as well. You will not see me, but I will be with thee."

Draco cautiously entered the cave. He could hardly see past the main entrance. He heard voices. He put his hands along the cold, wet, stone of the cave, and guided himself down a narrow passageway, almost blind, toward the voices.

Helena and Hermione had reached a large chamber in the middle of the cave. Helena had lit torches, starting at the mouth of the cave, going all the way down to this larger chamber. Light flickered around the large internal room. Helena said, "Do you know where to find this wand?"

The fact was she did not. The clue was only one word: cave. She shook her head no. Helena put the wooden box down on the cave floor and said, "Perhaps there is a clue in the writings on the scroll. Open the box, Miss Granger, and find out."

Hermione did as requested, mainly because she did not know what else to do. With Helena's wand still pointed at her, she opened the box and removed the scroll. Helena leaned over Hermione's shoulder and said, "I've never seen these runes before."

"They were written by Salazar," Hermione began, "and I believe they are in parseltongue." She did not know why she felt that, but she did.

"Then translate, little Slytherin," Helena mocked.

"I cannot. I don't know parseltongue," Hermione admitted.

For the first time, Hermione saw a grimace grace the beautiful features of Helena Boot. She also raised her voice for the first time. She screamed, "YOU LIE! HIS HEIRS ALL SPEAK IT! TRANSLATE THE RUNES!" Helena moved toward the center of the cave, and the whole cave lit up with a bright, blue light. In one corner, Hermione saw her mother and father. They were bound together, and appeared to be fully conscious. In the other corner, she saw Paul, and he appeared the same. In a third corner she saw Nick Boot, Lucius Malfoy, and Ron. How did they get there? In the fourth corner were Harry Potter and Don. They were all awake, but bound and gagged and struggling in each of the four corners.

"I have all your friends and family, Miss Granger, so I feel it is unwise to lie to me," Helena said, now completely composed. A woman came walking out of the shadows. It was as if Hermione was looking in a mirror, for the woman looked like her. Helena flicked her wand, and the woman's appearance changed. It was the woman Ellen, from the dress shop.

"Meet my daughter, Hermione. The only child I really love. My heir, if you will," Helena said. "She has been so helpful. My sons trusted her completely, not knowing her identity, or that she had been helping me all along. She was the one who brought all your friends here tonight. You see, I had her long before I married Mr. Boot. Much like Ravenclaw did with Helga's child, I had to hide her away, but my intentions were that I would reclaim her someday."

The woman, Ellen, smiled at Hermione. Hermione did not know what to make of any of this. "Ellen, show Miss Granger what happens when she refuses to help us. I think her mother will do nicely."

Ellen approached Hermione's mother, waved her wand, and sent a curse toward her. Her mother's screams filled the cavernous hollows, echoing across the walls, her agony bouncing from one wall to the next. Hermione yelled, "STOP IT! I really don't know how to translate these runes!"

Ellen stopped the torture of Hermione's mother and said, "Mother, perhaps if we kill, just one of them, she might be more apt to tell us the truth."

"Good idea, daughter. Hermione, who do you want us to kill?" Helena asked. "We could kill Mr. Potter. He is your best friend, and I am sure that would cause you pain, or how about my dear stepson? You have grown very close to him have your not?"

Hermione was crying, and she said, "Please, don't kill anyone. Please, I will try to find the wand, but I cannot read these runes. Don't kill anyone!"

"Ellen, take her father and kill him," Helena said.

"GOD, NO!" Hermione cried. Ellen pointed her wand at Hermione's father, uttered the death curse, and he fell to the ground. Soon, both Hermione and her mother were crying, beside themselves with grief.

"DADDY!" Hermione screamed. She tried to rush up to his body, but Helena used her wand to force her in her spot. Tears racked her entire body.

"I will kill each and everyone one of them, saving your mother for last, if you don't at least try, my dear," Helena said, smiling.

Hermione said, "Release me! I'll try!" Helena released Hermione from her spot, and Hermione walked up to the scrolls. With her peripheral vision, she saw her father's body lying on the floor. Tears streaked her face as she looked at the runes. They truly did not make sense to her. However, she heard a whisper in her ear, '_the wand is hidden in the front of the cave, in the wall. Touch the wall to the right of the entrance, saying this incantation: __from the wall release the wand, so it may live to kill another. Do not worry, young Granger, for I will be with thee. She cannot touch the wand, not as long as you live. If she kills you, then she can use the power of this wand, and her power will be beyond all others. As soon as the wall releases the wand, take it and kill her. You need not point the wand at her. Just think the thoughts. No words need to be spoken."_

Hermione knew Slytherin spoke these words to her. She rolled the scroll back up and said, "It says the wand is hidden in the wall to the right of the entrance to the cave. It says that only I can release the wand from its hiding place."

"Then let us go. Ellen, stay with our guests, and make them comfortable," Helena said.

She followed Hermione back to the entrance of the cave. Helena had a torch in her hand. She put the torch in a metal bracket that was by the entrance. She said, "Get me my wand!"

Part II:

Hermione was still crying. All she could think of was her father lying on the cold ground of the cave, dead, because of her. She touched the wall with both hands. She silently said the incantation that Salazar revealed to her. Suddenly, as if the wall was made of water instead of stone, the wand appeared, although it was still hidden from Helena, for she looked at Hermione and said, "Well, where is the wand?"

Perhaps Helena could not see the wand. Hermione ran her hands once more over the smooth glassy surface, and without warning, the wand appeared in her hands.

Helena jumped back in shock and surprise. Hermione quickly turned to the witch, wand in hand. "You killed my father!" She tried to curse the older witch with the wand, yelling, "Stupefy!" but nothing happened.

"Silly little girl, you can't wield the power in that wand. Hand it to me. I promise not to kill any more of your loved ones," Helena said, her right hand outstretched toward the wand, her left hand pointing her own wand at Hermione. Hermione kept the wand tight in her hand.

_Do not give her the wand._

Hermione yelled, "NO!"

Helena said a spell so that wand would leave Hermione's hand, and come to her own, but nothing happened. The older woman moved her own wand to her right hand, and began to circle Hermione. Soon, she was standing at the mouth of the cave.

"Give me the wand, or watch your family die," Helena said.

Hermione heard a voice in her ear, _"The people in the cavern are merely illusions. That is why she entered before you, to prepare the fantasy. No one is really down there, for no one but you, your betrothed, and this woman can enter the cave. She lies to you. She cannot kill anyone, for no one is really down there. Do not relinquish the wand."_

"You lie!" Hermione yelled. "No one is in that room! My father isn't dead!"

Helena laughed and her hair flew all around her. The room shook as if there were an earthquake. Hermione stepped back until she felt the smooth surface of the wall behind her back. "You think you are so smart! Try to curse me with that wand, again, little Slytherin. I am not lying when I say that only I can wield its power. Go on, try!"

"STUPEFY!" Hermione yelled again. Nothing happened. Helena laughed again. The cave again shook.

She pointed her wand at Hermione and said a curse in which Hermione had never heard before. It felt as if shards of glass were cutting her skin. She began to bleed all over her body. She sunk to her knees, crying in pain.

The voice of the man, whom Hermione assumed was Salazar, said, "_Stand up, child. The pain will pass. You are stronger than her. You do not need the wand to perform magic. Wandless magic is how you will prevail. Stand up and face her."_

Hermione stood up and raised her bloodied hand toward the woman. She moved her fingers slightly and Helena was thrown outside the cave, landing in the grass by the opening. She stood up and shouted, "Wandless magic? You think you can beat me with wandless magic?" Helena pointed her wand once more at Hermione, and as the curse left her lips, Hermione also said a spell, silently, holding her hand, palm side up, facing the woman, to deflect the other woman's spell. The curse rebounded from Hermione and hit Helena square in the chest, knocking her over once more. Hermione walked out of the cave, toward the woman, who was now several meters from the opening.

Helena struggled to stand again, and with fury and anger she screamed, and raised her wand once more toward Hermione. Instead of hitting Hermione with another spell, Hermione once again raised her hand, the one without the wand, which caused Helena to fly several more meters in the air, landing against a tree.

She lay on the ground, gasping for breath. She looked up at Hermione, her eyes black. She stood up, and actually rushed up to Hermione, to try to remove the wand physically from her grasp. As soon as she touched the wand, her hands burned and she was thrown back against the ground. The force knocked Hermione down as well.

"It's true, only you can touch the wand, but only I can use it. Quite a paradox, is it not? It is useless to me, as long as you live. You shall die, and then the wand will be mine." Helena's face was once again serene and peaceful. She said, "After you die, I am sure whatever charm Slytherin placed on the wand will be nullified, and I will be able to touch it. Let me kill you now, to see if my theory is correct." Helena Boot stood back up, effortlessly this time, and pointed her wand at Hermione.

Hermione struggled to stand again, as the older witch raised her wand and started to utter the death curse. However, before a single word left Helena's mouth, Draco came out of his hiding place, directly inside the mouth of the cave. As Helena stood at the mouth of the cave, he took the torch from inside on the wall, and threw it toward the older woman. Her long silk robes caught fire, and she began to scream. In the agony and pain of being burned alive, she still tried to curse Hermione. She once again pointed her wand, and with her last conscious breath, she yelled, "AVADA KEDAVA!"

Draco looked over in shock as Hermione's body crumbled to the ground. However, once she hit the ground, she was then lifted high in the air, her body bathed in a soft white light. As the older woman continued to scream in anguish, dying from burns and fire, Hermione's body continued spinning in the air, her hair flowing around her. Draco dropped to his knees, watching in hope that she would not die.

The screams of Helena Boot continued, as Draco watched Hermione's body finally come to rest on the ground by the cave's door. He watched as a foggy spirit walk from her body, to stand beside her. It was Helga Hufflepuff. She looked at Draco and asked, _"Was I able to save her? See if she lives."_ Draco crawled over to Hermione, and placed his hand on her heart. It was beating. Her chest rose and fell with each breath that she took. He bent over her, lifting her in his arms. He rocked her back and forth.

He looked at the image of the beautiful spirit in front of him and said, "Thank you."

Helga said, _"Wake Hermione, and have her take the wand, and kill the poor woman. Even though she was evil, her suffering should end."_

Draco looked over at Helena Boot's charred and blackened body, as it lay right outside the cave. Smoke and flames began to fill the cave, as the flames still engulfed her. No sounds came from her. He asked, "Are you sure she isn't already dead?"

"_No, she still lives, and only Hermione can kill her. Have her take the Darian wand, kill her, and then throw the wand in the flames. Let the flames extinguish, destroying both the evil of the woman, and the evil of the wand. Do not put the flames out. You will find Hermione's wand, along with you own, down in the chamber of the cave. Take Hermione down there, and wait for me."_ Just as suddenly as the spirit appeared, it disappeared. Draco picked up Hermione, and said, "Wake up! Please, wake up." Hermione's eyes opened, and she sat up suddenly.

"Draco? Are you here? What happened?" she asked.

"There's no time to explain. You must take the Darian's wand and kill Helena, now," Draco said. Hermione still had the long white ancient wand in her hand.

"I can't yield the power of the wand," Hermione said.

"You can now. Do it Hermione, make sure she's dead so she will never hurt anyone again," Draco implored. He stood up, lifting her with him. He walked Hermione over to the charred body of the evil witch, and held her hand, holding the wand and her hand, over the body. "Do it now, Hermione," he said anxiously. Hermione looked back at Draco, then to the witch burning on the ground. The flames were hot, and her eyes began to water.

Hermione spoke the death curse to Helena. Draco then took the wand from Hermione's hand and threw the wand on the flames. A stream of purplish black smoke rose from the center of the burning remains. He picked Hermione up and carried her back in the cave. Her eyes closed once more. He said, "It will be okay. I have you." He said it more for himself then for her.

Part III:

Draco walked with Hermione down to the open room in the cave. The lights from the torches along the wall flickered and illuminated the room. Draco placed Hermione down by the box and the scrolls. He looked for something to cushion her head, and when he found nothing, he moved to sit near her head, so he could rest her head on his lap. He stroked her hair. She had hundreds of cuts all across the valleys and plains of her skin. Her face was bruised, her lip bleeding. He cursed himself when he recalled that he caused most of these injuries. His face drew up in agony, just thinking about her pain. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Hermione opened her eyes. "Draco, are we alone? Are there any others in this room?" Hermione finally asked. She wanted to make sure that her friends and family were truly not there.

"We are alone," he said.

"We need to get back to the school," Hermione said, trying to sit up. He forced her back down.

"I was told to wait here," Draco said.

"By whom?" Hermione asked, looking up at his face, and moving her hand up to touch his cheek.

"This will sound insane, but I think it was Helga Hufflepuff. She saved your life. Just as Helena Boot spoke the death curse to you, the spirit of Helga entered your body, and deflected the spell. I have never seen anything like it in my life. Now Wonder boy won't be the only one to have ever lived against the death curse," Draco said.

Hermione sat up and Draco helped her. She said, "We have to end this tonight. We have to do the ceremony to join the fractured souls of Helga and Salazar. They have helped us, and now we must help them."

"You must rest, you are tired, and frankly, so am I," Draco admitted. He helped Hermione sit beside him. She took his hand and kissed his fingertips.

"I thought we were going to die," she said.

"Die? You cannot get rid of me that easy, little one. No, death will not ever part us. Besides, we have to get married soon, remember. Then, if you want to get rid of me, you will have to divorce me, and believe me, that's not an easy thing in the wizard world," Draco said, trying to be funny, although the humour was lost on them both. He lay down on his back, pulling her to his chest. Soon, she was asleep.

He was unaware of the time. He thought it must be very early in the morning. Hermione woke up after a short while and said, "What are we to do now?"

He fingered her hair, and said, "We wait."

"For what?" she asked.

"Helga told us to wait, so we wait," he explained.

"Even if they both appear to us, I won't be able to read the scrolls that tell us how to perform the ceremony. I really cannot read parseltongue. Do you think that means anything? Do you think it means I'm not really the heir or something?"

Before Draco could answer a voice said, "_You are the heir_." Hermione and Draco both sat up, and in front of them was the spirit of Helga. "_I'm sorry it took so long for this to end. I tried for so long to tell you the truth, but you were afraid, and that man named Nick, he told me to leave you, for I was scaring you, so I did. I never wanted you to be hurt in any way. I knew that woman was hurting you, and feeding everyone false information, but I was powerless to stop her. I did not know you were my descendent in the beginning; I just knew you released my spirit. Finally, I thought if I slowly showed you what I knew, you would be able to help me in the end, and you did."_

A bright light shined behind the wispy spirit, and Hermione had to shield her eyes to look at her. Draco said, "How did you find out that your child lived?"

"_Ravenclaw revealed that on her deathbed. I knew my child was well taken care of, so I never pursued it, by that time, I was a very old woman. My only regret is that I never told Salazar about our child,"_ Helga said.

"He knows," Hermione said. She tried to stand, but Draco pulled her back down. She looked at Draco and said, "We should stand, show our respect." He nodded and stood, pulling her up beside him.

"_He doesn't know. He never knew,"_ Helga said.

"Helga, when I released your spirit from your Horcrux, I also released his. He has been helping us as well. He knows," Hermione said.

The spirit Helga looked distressed and said, "_He must hate me_."

"_I could never hate you,"_ a male voice said. In the corner of the cave, appeared Salazar Slytherin. "_How I've waited centuries to see you again, to ask for your forgiveness. My blood prejudices caused you to hide the truth from me. It is my fault that you ran away with our child, not yours. I will never forgive myself. I will never forgive myself for creating this personal hell for you, by creating your Horcrux without your knowledge. Please, say you will forgive me."_

"_I forgive you,"_ she said, with a sad smile.

Salazar turned to Hermione and Draco and said, _"If thee is strong enough, then it is time to commence with the ceremony. We have waited so long. Do not deny us this. Save our immortal souls."_

"How?" Hermione asked.

He smiled and said, "_Read the scrolls, child, they will tell you what to do."_

"I can't read them," she admitted.

"_You can. You just refuse to believe that you can. Read the scrolls, and set us free,"_ he said.

Hermione went over to the wooden box, and took out the scrolls, and suddenly, the jumbled runes on the ancient parchment turned into words in which she could understand. She sat down on the ground, and Draco sat across from her. She said, "Draco, you have to help me."

"I will always help you," he smiled.

With Helga standing behind Hermione, and Salazar behind Draco, Hermione read the scrolls. She said, "Draco, take my hands." He reached across and took her hand. She said, "To the bitter end, my soul will be set free. To the bitter end, my love I give to thee. To the bitter end, my life will always be, to the bitter end, our love is meant to be." She looked at Draco and said, "Use your wand and repeat these words after me." He let go of her hands, and held up his wand. She held up hers.

"Death to Life, Life to Death," Hermione said. Draco repeated the words. Hermione said, "Soul to Soul, heal thy wounds," again, Draco repeated the words. "Once more to live, once more to die." Draco repeated the phrase. "We bring you peace, forever." The spirits started to fade. A yellow haze filled the room. Salazar said, "_Do you have our locket?"_

This shook Hermione. She said, "No, I don't. Do we need it?"

"_Yes, it's a portal from this dimension to the next,"_ Salazar said. Draco reached inside his shirt, and pulled the locket out.

He slipped it over his head. "I had a dream, and in my dream, a beautiful lady came to me and told me to wear this until she needed it." Hermione smiled at him. She took the locket.

Salazar said, _"Say the final line, but wait a moment. I must tell Helga goodbye first."_

_Helga Hufflepuff and Salazar Slytherin were transported back to 997 AD. They were standing in a field, by the castle. He took her hands and said, "We wasted so much time."_

"_Now, all we will have is time. Time to love again, time to live again. Let us not regret the bad decisions we made in the past. We hurt each other too much, we shall never hurt each other again," Helga said. He took her in his arms, and embraced her. He kissed her hair._

"_Even though I eventually married others, I never stopped loving thee. Even when I went away, and never returned, I thought of you daily," he said, stroking her cheek._

"_I felt the same all my life. I loved my husband and my children, but not the way I loved you and our child. One good thing has come from this; our line lives on, and shall continue to live on, doing well for our school and our world. She gives us a future, and she gives us peace. That is why we shall not regret anything." She reached up and stroked his face. She put her lips to his. "I am ready, are thee?"_

"_Yes, I am. I want peace." Salazar kissed her again. "I shall tell her to continue."_

Hermione and Draco were standing, embracing each other. They parted. The souls of Helga and Salazar had entered them. Hermione looked at Draco and said, "They are ready to leave." She let go of his hands for a moment, and looked down at the scroll. She rose back up, grabbed his hands again, and said, "A time to live, a time to die, and a time to continue with a different life. Bring their souls together again, so they will know the peace that passes all understanding." Draco repeated the line. Hermione leaned in and kissed his lips.

_Helga leaned in and kissed Salazar's lips. They parted, holding hands, and smiled. It was done._

Their bodies filled with peace and love, in which neither Draco nor Hermione had ever felt before. Draco embraced Hermione and said, "It's over. It's really over."

She collapsed in his arms. He was not fearful or afraid for her. He knew she was fine. He picked her up, making sure they had their wands. He would come back later for the wooden box. He walked out of the cave. When he exited, he saw his father first. Lucius Malfoy ran up to his son and embraced him. He actually took Hermione from him, and carried her for him. Harry Potter and Don Boot came up to Draco next.

Harry said, "A bright blinding light came from the cave, and the wind blew like a tornado had touched down, and then nothing. Peace."

"It's done. Salazar and Helga's souls are no longer separated, and they are at peace finally. That burning rubble over there is all that remains of Helena Boot," Draco pointed toward the burning embers.

"We thought as much," Don stated in disgust.

They all started walking down the path. Draco said, "Where is that woman, the one named Ellen?"

"Why?" Nick asked, coming up the path.

"She's Helena Boot's daughter, you sister," Draco said. Nick looked at Don, then back to Draco.

"We know that, but how did you?" he asked.

"Hermione told me," Draco said. He looked at his father, as he continued to carry Hermione down the hill, toward the woods.

"She was pretending to be Hermione. The Aurors have her now. She just admitted everything to us," Harry said. They all reached the path in the woods, and Draco walked up to his father. He reached for Hermione.

"Let me take her the rest of the way, son," Lucius said, "It's the least I can do. You look quite ill yourself. I won't let any harm come to her, I promise." Draco smiled and put his hand on Hermione's arm. They walked down the path, left the woods, and once they were back to the excavation site, they put her down on the ground.

Nick used his wand to access her injuries. He said, "She's just sleeping. She will be fine."

"Where are her parents?" Draco asked.

"Our father and Ron Weasley went to rescue them. They, along with Paul, never left the Granger's house. They were concealed there the entire time. Ellen admitted everything to us," Don said.

The Medi-witch from the school appeared with two magical gurneys. She said, "Place Miss Granger on one, and Mr. Malfoy on the other."

"I can walk," Draco said.

"Mr. Malfoy, you will do what I say," Madam Pomfrey said.

Draco smiled at the old woman, and leaned over and kissed her cheek. He said, "Only if you allow Hermione and me to share a bed once we are at the Hospital wing." The old woman smiled and pointed toward one of the gurneys. He was so tired, that he gladly lay down on the damn thing. He reached over for Hermione's hand, and held it the whole way back to the school.


	40. Part XL

All characters belong to JKR

**Part XL: June:**

_**In A Moment:**_

_**In a moment, part of me was gone, and nothing was ever going to be the same. In a moment, I did not think I belonged, and my life was full of heartache and pain. I feel like we are living on borrowed time, and we are just traveling through the years acting out acts of love, hoping that someday something will be real. Tangible. **_

_**In an instant, my reflection looked strange to me, and I did not even recognize my own face. In an instant, you have finally freed me from my chains, and I am no longer alone and afraid. We are all living day by day, forever alone, forever praying for peace, time, happiness and love.**_

_**In a second, all I once believed in was gone, and you were the only thing I had left to believe. Darkness of night turned to dawn, and you returned to my memory. In a second, I cannot seem to understand, why we exist to just live and then die. Then again, this happens to everyone. In a second, it could all be gone. In the end, we pay the ultimate price.**_

Draco Malfoy was sitting at a desk in the corner of his fiancées bedroom. He was writing on a piece of parchment. He was supposed to be writing his wedding vows, for they were getting married in a week. On the other hand, he could be studying, since his Potion Masters License test was later that morning. Instead, he had too many jumbled thoughts in his head, so he decided to write down what he felt. He looked over at the sleeping form of the woman he loved. It had been two weeks since the incident in the cave. She still was recovering. Most of the external wounds had healed, except for a scar or a bruise here or there. The internal wounds, the wounds to her heart, mind and soul, well, they might never heal. They would both have to live with that.

Their wedding was originally scheduled for this weekend, but they pushed it back a week so that Draco could take his exams. It was important to him. When Hermione first suggested it, he was afraid that she would want to cancel the wedding completely. She assured him that was not the case. They did decide to have a smaller ceremony then was originally planned, in her parent's back garden. Nothing elaborate or ostentatious. Draco almost felt sorry for their mothers, for they had worked so hard on the wedding, but he wanted Hermione to be happy.

Ever since the incident in the cave, she had been distant and aloof. He felt a gentle schism, or a change, not in their relationship so much, but just in her. How she viewed things were different. He did not like it, but he was helpless to do anything about it. He folded his piece of parchment over and stood up to watch her sleep. It was very early, only 6 am. She was still sleeping soundly. She had bad dreams every night. Sometimes Draco wondered if she would ever have another peaceful night. He gently sat down on the bed beside her, and he put his hand on hers, as it rested on her stomach. He propped himself on his side, and leaned over and kissed her cheek. He said, in an almost inaudible whisper, "I love you." He put his head on the pillow and closed his eyes. She opened hers and looked over at him. She sighed, and his eyes popped back open.

"Good morning," he said.

She meekly smiled. He stroked her cheek.

"Happy Birthday," Hermione said. Draco totally forgot that it was his birthday.

"Now I am as old as you," he said with a smile. He touched her lips, and leaned over for another kiss.

"Wow, then you are really old," she joked. " You are twenty-one years old now. How weird is that?"

"Not so weird. I feel like I'm forty sometimes," he grinned.

"You look it, with that white hair," she said, smiling. She ruffled his hair.

"It's blonde, little one. Pure, bloody, blond," Draco said, pointing his finger at her.

Hermione sat up in the bed. She looked over at him and said, "You are already dressed? What time is it?"

"It's early, I just couldn't sleep," he said.

"Worried about your exams today?" Hermione asked.

"A bit," he admitted.

"Do you want me to help you with some last minute studying?" she offered. He rolled his eyes.

"No, teacher, I'm fine," he said, moving his legs to the side of the bed. She climbed over to him, and hugged his back.

"When is Don coming to pick you up?"

"The exams are at 8 o'clock, so he said he would be here at 7:30. We have time, why do you want a quickie?" Draco said. Hermione had her chin on his shoulder and she bit his ear. "Is that a yes?"

"You are a pervert," she laughed. She moved to sit beside him.

"I want to make love to the woman I love and that makes me a pervert?" he mused. "Maybe if we have a good shag, I will be able to concentrate better, and it will help me obtain a higher score."

"I don't follow your reasoning, but I doubt that very much," she said. She moved to stand up, and he grabbed her back to the bed, pulling her to his lap. He put his fingertip to her face, tracing some of the little scars from the curse that the evil witch Helena Boot had hexed her with that day. They were slowly beginning to fade. They were a constant reminder to Draco that he could not keep her safe.

"Draco, don't," she said, reading his mind. "They are fading everyday. I'm getting stronger everyday. I will be alright, and so will you. None of this is your fault. The blames lies on me more than it does you."

"Now I don't follow your reasoning," he frowned. He put his arms tight around her and said, "I thought I lost you, in a mere instant, a moment, a second, you were almost gone. I screamed and screamed, and was powerless to help you. I don't ever want to feel like that again. I don't want to feel out of control, or powerless, or helpless, ever again. Not when it comes to you. I cannot ever lose you. Just think, Salazar had to feel that pain about Helga for ten lifetimes."

"I don't know what to say to reassure you, Draco," Hermione said sadly. She buried her head in his neck. He rocked her back and forth. "I feel the same way. I cannot ever lose you. I cannot ever be to blame for your unhappiness, or your pain. Life is so precarious. We could lose everything in a moment's notice." Draco thought of the words he had just written, and he knew what she said was true.

He stood up, with her in his arms. She laughed and said, "Where are you taking me?"

"I not taking you anywhere," he said, cryptically. He continued to carry her, out of the bedroom, down the stairs, and to the living room. He walked up to the backdoor and said, "Hang on, while I open the door." She already had her arms around his neck, but she hung on tighter, while he opened the door. He stepped out to the back garden, and sat on a wooden bench. He said, "Let's watch the sunrise together." He kissed her cheek, and said, "I love you."

"Today would have been our wedding day," she said. It was a simple statement, but he wondered why she suddenly decided to declare it.

"It still could be. The exams will be over by noon. We could be married by 1:00 pm," he said. She shook her head.

"No, we already caused enough problems with our mothers. They would have a fit if we changed things again," she said. She began to cry.

"What's wrong, love?" Draco said.

She slapped his face lightly and said, "I've told you before, it chills me to the bone when you are all nice and sweet, and say little forms of endearment, like love and sweetheart."

He laughed and said, "Okay, let me rephrase the question. What they hell is wrong you stupid bitch?" Hermione's tears went to the wayside as she laughed at what he said.

"That's not nice," she said through her laughter.

"I can't win with you," he muttered. He laughed as well. "What's wrong, Hermione?"

"Where do we go from here? You are taking your exams, but we don't even know if we have jobs next year," she said.

"Oh, I think the old bat will give us our jobs back, as long as we promise no one will try to murder us, haunt us, torture us, skin dead otters in our rooms, write us threatening notes, beat us up in our sleep…" He could not continue because she put her hand over his mouth. He removed her hand and said, "Besides, who is she to mess with fate. You are predestined to be the best thing Hogwarts ever had. If she doesn't give us our jobs back, we will know that she's just jealous."

Hermione kissed his cheek. Then she moved his face with her hands, and kissed his other cheek. "If we are going to get our jobs back, you better pass your exams. Let's go up and make love, so you will have the fortitude to obtain a passing grade."

Draco looked at her suspiciously and said, "Don't toy with my emotions. My stomach is already tide up in knots at the prospect of my exams. I can't take sexual tension as well."

She climbed off his lap and said, "You're an idiot. Come on, we don't have much time." She started back in the house, and he came up behind her and scooped her up.

"I brought you down; I will take you back up. Besides, you might change your mind on the way upstairs," he said. He climbed with her to their room, and shut the door. He used his wand to lock the door, and he put a silencing charm on the door as well.

She was sitting on the bed and she said, "Do you intend to be that loud?"

"Oh, it's for you, not me. You are going to be screaming you head off."

"Now you are the one making empty promises," she laughed. He jumped on the bed, pinning her to the mattress.

"I only make promises that I intent to keep. Let me prove it to you."

The Art of Making Love:

_**Gentle laughter of a wonderful smile, endearing beauty of your eyes, overwhelming fulfillment, full of surprise, are the things I feel with you in my life.**_

_**Song of great beauty, song of life, the gentle daybreaks away from the night. The hopeful feeling of pure love and delight, are the things I feel with you in my life.**_

_**I wish that I had a river of roses; I wish I had dreams that came true in the day. I wish I heard music the wind and rain composes; I wish that you heard me, for you I did pray.**_

_**Your heart is so full of love and desire. I know that you watch me at night when I sleep. I wish for a morning like this, that surprises, I wished for a life full of love and peace.**_

_**Happiness is fading, it seems to elude me, I wish for the pain and hopelessness to cease. I wish for selfish things that other could not see, I wish for one thing, that you will always love me.**_

Hermione looked over at the bed where they had just made love. Draco was currently taking another shower. She padded over to the desk after they made love, and saw what he had written on a single piece of parchment, and she felt compelled to write underneath it. Her heart was so full of love at that moment, she was sure it would burst. She read what he wrote again. His words seemed so desperate. He seemed afraid. She would have to tell him daily that she was never going to leave him, for she knew that she would not, could not, ever leave him. She folded the parchment back the way he had it, and went back over to the bed. She shut her eyes. She hugged his pillow to her. She could still smell him. She sat back up, and went back over to the desk. She wanted to read the words that he wrote once more.

When they first came back to the room, Draco stood above the bed, just looking at her, for a good three minutes. He removed his clothing, slowly, not seductively, just slowly, as he never removed his eyes from hers. She removed her pajamas, and offered herself to him. He would accept the offering.

He climbed on the bed, slowly moving up her body. He left a trail of kisses up her calf, over her knee, on her thigh, to her hip. He gripped her waist as his mouth kissed her hipbone, and across the contours of her stomach. He placed both hands on her breasts, cupping them lightly. He loved her so much.

He gently kissed the left breast, all around the areole, before putting the entire nipple in his mouth. He sucked as his tongue twirled. She began to make a sound in the back of her throat, and her hips began to move. Hermione put her hands on his head, pulling his face up to hers. "Kiss me," she pleaded. He obliged. He leaned down and kissed her mouth, long and sensual. His body on top of hers, his need apparent, pressing on her abdomen.

His mouth traveled down her neck, to her collarbone. His hands went to hers, placing them above her head, trapping them on the pillow with one hand, his other went back to one of her breasts. His mouth went to the other. HE LOVED HER! He was so full of love and desire that he seriously didn't think he could continue. He looked at her, and she opened her eyes, and he said, "Do you love me as much as I love you?"

"Of course," she said, barely able to speak. He put his mouth back on hers, playing with her lips, teasing them, as his tongue entwined with hers. His hands went to her hips, and he moved to his side. He placed one leg over her body, placing it slightly between her legs. Propped up on his side, his hand went to the junction between her legs. He placed his hand there, serendipitously. It was as if it was the first time, and he had a gift before him in which to discover. He moved his hand back and forth, feathery, light strokes. He continued to kiss her face, all around, as he sunk one finger in her cleft. She moaned. He shuddered. They were both so close, but it had just begun, and he wanted it to continue. He wanted to stay in bed with her all day. Stupid exams.

He removed his hand, and replaced it with his mouth. Her hands went to his shoulders, guiding him, prodding him forward. Again, he obeyed. His tongue moved in strokes mimicking his hands from before. She was breathing hard, and moving her head back and forth. He removed his mouth, and kissed up her body, paying extra special attention to her breasts once again, his hand again between her legs. When he reached her mouth, he kissed her, not just a kiss, but also a promise. He climbed on top, entered her slowly, inching in, a bit at a time, the anticipation about to kill them both.

Once inside her, Draco moved his body, arching his back, stroking up and down. His face contorted in passion, and when he decided to take a quick glance at her, she was biting her bottom lip, as she was apt to do. He would laugh at her, if he was in his right mind, but he wasn't, so all he could do was shut his eyes once again.

Their mutual movement, back and forth, rise and fall, continued together. He withdrew from her as her legs began to spasm. She didn't like that. He placed his hand, fully, on her apex, pressing down, calming her down. He didn't want her to come yet. He rolled to his back, and moved her hips over his. She straddled him, bringing him fully inside her. She liked this better anyway. He knew her too well. She always wanted to be in control, even during sex. Anyway, he could watch her better this way. He liked to see her face when she came. It helped him to his climax. It made the moment that much more special.

He was so deep inside her, filling her up, that he knew it was only a matter of time. She was screaming now, thank goodness for the silencing charm. How did Muggles manage? That was his last coherent thought, for after she started screaming, moving up and down on him, he started bucking his hips, and he started screaming as well.

She was at her most pivotal moment, when he did it again, damn him! He moved her off his hips, and with the quickest of movements, placed her back on her back, legs bent at the knees, and he entered her again. She placed her legs around his thighs, trying desperately to be closer. He screamed once more, at the exact moment she did. It was over. They were complete. They were one, for that moment, and for every moment after that. He collapsed on her, as her orgasm still racked her body with pulsating heat. Each nerve ending of her body was on fire. He felt like he was about to pass out. He stayed inside her, he liked to do that as long as he could. Finally, after moments of sheer bliss, she said, "Your exams."

"Screw the bloody exams," he said. He moved to his side, placing his hand on her full breast. He leaned over and kissed her once more. "Thank you," he said.

"People usually say, 'I love you', after making love, but 'Thank you', works as well," she said.

"Smart aleck," he said. "After we made love the very first time, you said, 'thank you'," he reminded her.

"Yes, and you told me the same thing I just said, that it was customary to say I love you, not thank you. I was just giving you the same advice," she proclaimed. She rolled over to her side, bringing her legs up to her stomach. "I think I won't be able to walk for a week."

He sat up and said, "You won't get out of walking down the aisle that easily. I shall just levitate you down the aisle, and when everyone says, 'what happened to Hermione, why can't she walk?' I will have to say that I shagged you so good and hard that you couldn't walk straight, and you possibly went blind as well." He started to get out of bed. She laughed at him.

She sat up and said, "No one said anything about going blind, but if you don't point that thing in a different direction, it might poke me in the eye, and blindness will be a possibility."

"Ha, Ha, Granger makes yet another feeble attempt at a joke. Your humour is so sad that I want to cry for you," he said. He leaned down, kissed her once, and went to the bathroom. She hugged his pillow once, then got up from the bed, pulled the sheet over her body, and sat at the desk. That was when she saw the piece of parchment with his writing. She decided to write on it as well.

She was still at the desk when he came out of the bathroom. He came over, as she was folding the parchment in half. "Did you see what I wrote?" he asked, worried.

"Yes, and I wrote you a response on the bottom. Take it with you and read it after your exams. Good luck, Malfoy, for I am sure you will need it," she joked.

He bent down, took the parchment from her hands, and said, "I refuse to kiss you goodbye, because you are being mean to me." He went to the door, waved at her, and left. She sat in the chair and smiled. She waited no more than ten seconds, when he came back in the room, said, "You are evil. You knew I would be back," and bent to kiss her.

"Good luck," she said.

"Thanks," he responded. He closed the door, and really left that time.

A Wedding:

_**Draco's vows:**_

_**When sunlight sparkles in your hair, and dances in your eyes, I swear, that I can see the mystery of what your love can bring.**_

_**If I had thought I'd love this way, then I would swear I died this day, Your love has caused my life to change, because you're in love with me.**_

_**When moonlight shadows over your face, and causes features to erase, then I have no choice but to escape, into what your love means to me.**_

_**Perchance to see your face each night, then I would die in pure delight, and dream of you, even in spite, of what your love means to me.**_

_**Hermione's vows:**_

_**Your love, mild like sleep, severe like a storm, always new and different, never what it seems.**_

_**Your love, surrounds me like a fog, it gets in my eyes, confuses my senses, touching my heart and soul, blinding my mind with its haunting song.**_

_**Your love, it's not an illusion, and it fails to elude me. Are you real, do you see me, do you love me, as much as I love you?**_

_**Your love leads me to paradise, gives me your sacrifice, delivers me and makes me whole.**_

_**Our love died and was born again, never cold, and never dead,**_

_**Your love, a beautiful prophecy, peace and love, deliver me.**_

The minister pronounced them husband and wife. Hermione smiled for the millionth time that day. She placed her hand on his face, and he said, "I love you so much." He kissed her. It was a kiss with a promise. Promises that they would never leave the other, never stop loving the other, and never go a day without declaring their love.

Draco and Hermione turned around to face their loved ones and friends. Both their mothers were crying. Even Hermione's dad had shed a tear. Draco looked at his father and thank goodness, no tears. Draco honestly believed if he saw a tear in his father's eyes that the world would surely come to an end. At least they had one rational and sane parent. The thought that it was Lucius, out of all of them, made Draco smile at the irony.

He linked his hand in hers, and walked with her down the aisle. He stole one more glance at her. He couldn't contain his happiness. His smile was contagious. They were both smiling. Soon, the chairs were cleared away, and tables and chairs were set up for the reception. Draco and Hermione sat at the front table, staring at each other, holding hands, whispering secrets.

Professor McGonagall walked up to them and said, "I am so happy for you two. Do you know where you are going for your honeymoon?"

"Don Boot is letting us stay in his cabin," Draco said.

"Well, as long as you both report back to school by August the first, everything should be fine. I gave you the largest suite in the teacher's wing." She turned and walked away. Hermione's mouth was gapped opened. Draco closed her mouth with one finger.

"See, I told you we would still have jobs." Draco kissed his wife. His wife. Hermione was his wife. "You are my wife."

She grimaced at him and said, "Did you just figure that out?"

"I guess I did," he admitted.

"You know what that makes you?" she inquired.

"I know, an idiot," he said.

"No, it makes you my husband, idiot," she glared. She shook her head, then gave his hand a squeeze.

Music started playing, and Ron said, "The bride and groom will now have the first dance." Everyone raised his or her glasses.

"Ma'am, may I have this dance?" Draco asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Don't step on my toes," she said, warning him with a point of her finger.

They started swaying to the music. He loved holding her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head. After their dance, Hermione danced with her dad, and Draco danced with his mum. Then, the next dance, Draco danced with Mrs. Granger. Lucius nodded to Hermione, as she stood alone on the dance floor, and she smiled. He approached her and she said, "Father." She said it with a mocking tone. He wrinkled his nose.

"I'm not sure we are ready for that," he said, taking her hand. They started to dance.

"No, I don't think so either," she said, "although you do know that Draco calls my parents mum and dad."

"Draco is a lovesick fool," Lucius said. She was about to tell him off, but saw that he had a smile on his face. She looked away. He finally said, "You know what, Hermione, I would be honoured if you would call me father. I won't force you to, but the offer is there, if you wish."

She smiled and said, "Thank you, and perhaps one day, I will feel comfortable enough with you to call you that. Until that day, perhaps I can call you Lucius."

"That would be a good start," he said.

Harry Potter walked up to the pair and said, "May I cut in?" Lucius nodded, and handed Hermione off to him. Harry grinned and said, "This is a big sacrifice, you know, for I don't dance, but I thought you might need rescued, once again."

"Believe me, I know you don't dance, and my feet will thank you in the morning if we keep this short," Hermione smiled. She added, "And thank you for rescuing me from Lucius."

Harry leaned over and kissed her cheek. He said, "Let's have a year of rest. No drama for a while. Between you and me, I think we have seen enough drama in our lives to last a lifetime."

"Agreed," she said. She put her head on his shoulder.

He held her tight, hugging her, no longer dancing. He said in her ear, "Do you really love him that much?"

"Of course I do," she said, pulling her head away from his shoulder, and looking in his face.

"Then I so happy for you," he said. He kissed her once more and left the dance floor as the song ended. As another one started, Hermione looked for Draco. He was dancing with Madame Pomfrey. Hermione laughed. She turned to walk off the dance floor, but someone new grabbed her hand.

"Don Boot," Hermione said.

He smiled. "You look beautiful," he said. He kissed her cheek as he guided her across the floor. "I can't express to you how happy I am for you and Draco. Next to my brothers and my dad, I love you two the most."

"Oh, Don, I love you, too," Hermione said. She put her arms tight around his neck. "You've made so many sacrifices for us. Words can't express how much I appreciate everything that you've done. I hope you have the love and peace in your life that you deserve." He smiled at her.

"Hermione, Nick never revealed the rest of the prophecy to you, but if you would allow me to, I would like to right now," Don declared. She stopped moving. He took her hand, and led her over to a table. They sat down, hand in hand, and he said, "The rest of the prophecy said that you and Draco, along with Harry Potter and myself, would represent the four founders, and together, we would hold the future of the not only Hogwarts, but of our world as we know it. Nick only revealed this to me last night. He was afraid to let us know how important it was that we succeed in our plight."

"As I said, the four of us represent the four founders. Harry is a direct descendent of Gryffindor himself. We know of your heritage, and we believe Draco has some Ravenclaw in him. We also know of my Ravenclaw connection, through my father. The thing is, my real mother, the one Helena killed, was also a direct descendent of Gryffindor. Harry Potter and I are the last know Gryffindor descendents. You are definitely the last of the Slytherins and the Hufflepuffs, and my brothers, Draco, and I are all that are left of the Ravenclaws. We are the future. It's important that we remember that."

"I agree. What are you doing next year? Are you coming back to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.

He laughed and said, "Draco is the new Potions Master."

"What about you?" she asked, taking his hand.

"Well, McGonagall did offer me a position. The charms position has opened up, as Flitwick is retiring. I would also be the head of Ravenclaw house. That seems appropriate, don't you think? I've accepted, of course. I hope you won't get sick of seeing me," he said.

She stroked his face and said, "I love you too much to ever get sick of you."

"One last thing," he said, kissing her fingertips. "I am so sorry if I was the one that hurt you last year. I didn't know it, and I didn't mean it."

"I know, and believe me, it's in the past. Don't ever feel guilty about something that was beyond your control," she said.

Draco walked up to the pair and said, "Are you trying to steal my lover?"

Don laughed and said, "No, she's still yours."

Draco laughed back and said, "I was talking to Hermione. Hermione, you do realize, Don will always love me more than you, don't you?"

Hermione laughed as well, and held Don's arm. "I think he just declared his love for me, so you will have to go to the back of the line. I feel so sad for you, Malfoy."

Draco shook his head, took her hand and said, "Don, I know you still love me the most. Now, let me take this witch off your hands." He pulled her back out to the dance floor.

"What did Don have to say, really?" Draco asked. She told him everything, about the prophecy, and about his guilt. "I understand his guilt, for I feel it everyday as well. I'll talk to him about it," Draco said.

They continued to dance, to rejoice, and enjoy their reception. Everyone made a toast to the happy couple, they had their cake, (Hermione threatened to hex Draco if he smashed it in her face, so he was very careful), and they danced some more. By the end of the evening, they sat alone at a table, Hermione's head on his shoulder, his hand holding hers.

"Are you ready for bed?" he asked.

"Yes, and would you be upset if we just slept tonight, and started the honeymoon tomorrow? I really am so tired," she said.

He pulled her over to his lap and said, "We have a lifetime, little one. A whole lifetime."

She stroked his face, and said, "We do, indeed."


	41. Epilogue

All characters belong to JKR

**Epilogue:**

How Quickly Things Change:

Sometimes honesty can be destructive. Usually it sets people free, but sometimes, just sometimes; it is not a good thing. Draco was honest with his wife when he said that he was happy being married. That was true, and so he said it. He was also honest when he said that he would gladly live at Hogwarts during the school year. It was true, for he just wanted to be wherever she was. However, he was also honest when he said that he never really wanted to be a teacher, that he only pursued it to be close to her, because it was her dream. He thought he might not come back in September, because he wanted to pursue other options. That one honest statement unraveled the fabric of their very existence.

Fine, she said. Go do whatever you feel you must, but I am going back. Hogwarts is my home.

Fine, she said. If you are not satisfied, then you should find something else to do that will fulfill you.

Fine, she said. Leave me if you must, and if you do not come back, I will be just fine.

Damn her.

He didn't mean he wanted to leave her. He just said that he didn't think he wanted to go back to Hogwarts, not as a teacher. He did not like teaching. He loved potion making, he loved her, he even, in a warped way, loved being at Hogwarts, but he felt there had to be more out there. His wanderlust was tugging at his sleeve, and who was he to ignore it. He only came back to Hogwarts after the war because his parents were both in prison, and he had nowhere else to go. Not that he would ever regret that, for that was when he fell in love with her. However, it was not where he felt he should be. He only came back the year after that, and then last year, because that was where the love of his life was. Now that they were married, and the threat that was over them for so long was gone, why couldn't he opt for some additional happiness?

Why couldn't she see that it had nothing to do with her, or him, or even them? It was just what it was.

They started the summer, after they honeymoon, living with her parents. Two weeks after their return they were expected to go back to Hogwarts, and while Hermione could not wait to be back in her element, loving every minute of their mundane life, Draco wanted more. He was honest with her, he told her that, and she said, fine. Go do whatever you want to do, but I am a teacher. It is what I was made to do.

So, he did not return to Hogwarts with her. He went to his parent's house for a while. He missed his wife terribly. He wanted to see her every single day, but for his own sake, and hers, he stayed away, for a while. He gave the Headmistress his formal resignation, and told her he would not return. He told Hermione goodbye, at the front doors of her parent's house. He would not even see her off to the train. It would be too painful. He kissed her cheek, told her he loved her, told her he would visit soon, and then he watched as she walked away from his life.

It was September 1, classes had started, and he was alone. He missed his wife so much, that it physically hurt. He had true pain, in every fiber of his being, and his heart felt empty. They wrote each other everyday, but it was not the same as seeing her, touching her, tasting her. Why couldn't she understand that none of this had to do with her? It was what he needed. He only went into teaching in the beginning because of her.

He got a job at St. Mungos, in their potions department. It was interesting work, and he excelled at it. It was not enough, however. He needed his wife.

Hermione was supposed to meet him on the second weekend after the start of the first term, at her parent's house. He was dressing, preparing to leave the Manor, when his mother knocked on the door to his room.

"Hello, Draco," Mrs. Malfoy said. She crossed over to his bed, where he was tying his shoes, and gave him a kiss on the top of his head. "What time are you leaving for the Granger's?"

"Less than ten minutes," he said, looking at his watch.

"You and Hermione will be here tomorrow for dinner, though, right?" she confirmed.

"Yes, Mother, I told you we would be here," he said, standing up to get his coat.

"So, everything is fine between you two?" she asked hesitantly. He knew what she was trying to ask. It was what everyone assumed. Everyone assumed they were 'broken up' and no longer a couple. They were only married for three months, for goodness sakes. Just because he decided to leave his job, and seek other opportunities, and just because they were not currently living together, did not mean they weren't still together…did it?

Damn, Draco Malfoy was a fool.

He kissed his mother's cheek, and walked downstairs. His father was standing in the foyer. "Son, your mother will be very upset if you don't come home for dinner tomorrow night."

"I'll be here, I just told her that," he said, somewhat peeved.

"Your wife will be here, as well, correct?" Lucius asked.

"Yes, father, Hermione will be here," he said. He really did not want to have this conversation with his father at that moment. He hurried outside and apparated to her parent's house.

He hugged her mum hello, shook her father's hand, and asked where Hermione was. Mrs. Granger looked at him sadly and said, "We received an owl just today. She said she wasn't coming home. Didn't she write you as well?"

No, she did not. Draco smiled a sad smile, and merely said, "I'll be back." He apparated to Hogsmeade. Damn Hermione. What was she doing? He didn't understand why she wouldn't come home for the weekend, as they planned, but he was not going to stand for this. He was not.

He ran all the way to the school. He opened the front gates of the grounds, and started walking over the green familiar grass when he saw her in the distance. She was sitting on 'their rock', by the black lake, her head bowed, and her hands in her lap. She was almost in the same position she was when he came to her a year ago. He strolled all the way over to her, and she looked up as she saw him approaching. She stood up and started to walk back toward the school.

"Hey, Hermione!" Draco called out to her.

She started to run. What was it with her always running away from him? He ran to catch up to her, and since he was so much faster, he caught her in no time. He pulled on the sleeve of her blouse, forcing her to halt. She turned around.

"Why aren't you at your parent's?" he asked. He really wanted to say, 'I've missed you these last two weeks,' but instead he asked the obvious.

"I didn't want to go," she said plainly.

"Were you planning on telling me?" he asked.

"I sent you an owl just a few moments ago," she explained.

"What's going on, Hermione?" he asked.

She hung her head. "Why did you leave me?"

Wow, he was not expecting that. "I didn't leave you. I told you, I needed a change. I had enough of this place for a while, and I wanted to pursue other outlets. I thought you were fine with the idea. In fact, I was holding off telling you this as a surprise, but I got a job at St. Mungos. I started just a week ago."

"Bully for you," she said. "So, do you plan on staying with your parents?"

"I hadn't really thought that far ahead," he admitted.

"We are married, Draco! We are supposed to be together!" she said, throwing her arms in the air.

"Then come with me," he said.

"NO! I want to stay here!" she answered.

He smirked and said, "Why, because it's your destiny? What a load of rubbish."

"I love it here," she tried to explain.

"More than you love me?" Okay, that was uncalled for, because he knew that was not true.

"How dare you!" she said. "Go explore your dreams, go live the single life that has been denied you, go date other witches, party and have fun, but don't you ever say something like that again!"

"The single life? Granger, that's not what this is about, and you know it," he said, taking her arm.

"My name isn't Granger, Malfoy! You seem to have forgotten that. Go home. Go to your parents, have a nice life, and just forget that I exist." She broke from his grasp, and ran inside the school. He took her advice, and left.

The First Month Was Over:

The first month of school was over, and the weekend was approaching. Hermione was in turmoil. He parents wanted her to come home for the weekend, and the Malfoys invited her to their house, but Draco had not written to her once since the incident at Hogwarts two weeks prior, therefore, she could not face any of them. The last month had been agony for her. At least during her first two weeks back, he had written to her everyday. Now, in the last two weeks, nothing, no communication from him whatsoever. She felt like an empty, walking shell of a person. She missed Draco so much. She mucked everything up, and she did not know how to fix it.

He told her during the summer that he was unhappy teaching, and she chose to ignore him. She was sure that was not the case. After all, she loved teaching so much, that she could not see how he could not love it as well. After all, wasn't this their dream? Apparently, it was not. It was her dream. He had just come along for the ride.

She was being selfish, so she decided to be the bigger person, and she told him to go and pursue his dreams. If he did not want to teach, he should resign. She never in a million years thought he would take her up on her offer.

He waited until the end of the summer to spring this on her. What was she supposed to do? Two weeks before it was time to go back, he turned in his resignation, and left. He was going to stay at his parents, and then on the second weekend after she came back, they would meet at her parents. After that, they would decide what they were going to do.

She already knew what she was going to do. She was going to give him his freedom. If he did not want to stay at Hogwarts, he did not have to. She did not want him to stay out of guilt, or obligation. She was living her dream, and she wanted him to live his. She wanted him to be happy, even if that meant she was sad. On the weekend she was supposed to meet him, she instead told him he could have his freedom. He left and that was the last she heard from him.

Now she was sad and lonely and married without a husband, and she did not know what to do.

Bill Weasley invited her to stay at Shell Cottage for a weekend. He and his family were going to France, so she could have the whole place to herself. She agreed. She arrived just that morning. She was putting the kettle on the stove, to make some tea, when there was a knock on the door. Curious. Only a wizard could find this place, but why would a wizard knock on the door.

She put the kettle down and went to the door. She opened it up, and there was her husband, Draco. She did not know what to do, so she slammed the door in his face. That was not a good idea. She stood on the other side of the door for a total of ten seconds, and then opened the door once more. He was frowning.

"Why the hell did you slam the door in my face? May I come in?"

She slammed the door again. She paced in front of the door, back and forth, for many moments. What should she do? He knocked once more, and she cursed. She opened the door again, and this time he not only grimaced and frowned, but he had drawn his wand.

"Slam the door on me again, little one, and I will hex your arse," he threaten.

She almost thought about slamming the door once more, but he looked like he was serious. Instead, she said, "Why are you here?"

"We need to talk, apparently," he said.

"We haven't talked for two weeks, why now?" she asked.

"We need to discuss our divorce," he said.

"We're getting a divorce?" she asked meekly.

"Well, aren't we?" he asked back. "Normally, married people don't live apart and they don't stop speaking or corresponding to each other." He pushed passed her and walked into the cottage.

"How is your job?" she asked. That was not what she wanted to ask. She wanted to ask, 'why haven't you come to see me?' or 'why haven't you written me?' but, she hadn't tried to see him or write to him either, so she thought it would be more prudent to start with a lighter subject.

"I like it a lot," he said. He sat down on the couch.

"Are you still living with your parents?" she asked, coming to sit next to him.

"No, I actually bought my own house," he said. "I haven't moved in yet."

She looked down at the floor. "That's nice."

"How is Hogwarts?" he asked. If she was going to make stupid small talk, so was he.

"Okay. Don has been a good friend to me, while you've been gone. The new Potions Professor is a piece of work. He's very self-centered and egotistical." She looked up at him.

"Sounds just like me," he laughed. She could not help but smile. "Tell me, Hermione, why are you ignoring me? We're married. I love you and I miss you."

She looked down at his hand. He noticed and took her hand in his. She said, "Yes, well, married people don't usually go off and buy their own homes, do they?"

"You silly girl," Draco said without a trace of smile, "I bought the house for us. It is in Hogsmeade. You will be close to school, and I can floo back and forth to work everyday," he explained.

"I didn't know that," she said softly.

"What's really wrong, Hermione. Why are you acting as if our marriage never happened? Why are you ignoring me? I had the best summer of my life, being married to you, and then you leave me," he said.

"You left me!" she said, standing.

"I did not! I just quit my job. Never once did I say that quitting my job went hand in hand with leaving you! I just wanted a job where I could make a difference. One where I could be as happy as you make me, well, made me," he said, coming to stand beside her.

"It's not too late for us, is it?" she asked.

"No, not if you don't want it to be," he said. "I suggested to Bill that he invite you here, so I could corner you and make you come to your senses. I love you, Hermione, and I want to be married to you forever. I just didn't want to stay at Hogwarts. Why can't you see that my leaving my job had nothing to do with us?"

Hermione put her hands around his waist, he reached his arms around her body as well. "I've missed you. I was confused," she started, "I guess I couldn't see how you couldn't want to stay at Hogwarts. I guess I thought your rejection of Hogwarts was a rejection of me, because I feel so intertwined with the school. It represents my past, my present and my future."

He kissed the top of her head, and said, "So do I. I am your past, your present, and your future. Hogwarts and marriage aren't synonymous with each other. They don't have to go hand-in-hand."

"I thought I was being selfless. I was living my dream, so I wanted you to live yours. I realized you never came back to Hogwarts on your own, not even during our last year of school there. You were there that year because your mother made you come. The last two years you were there just because I was. I wanted you to do what you wanted. I was foolish," she said, kissing his cheek for the first time in ages.

"As you frequently are," he laughed. "Hermione, listen to me, just because teaching at Hogwarts isn't my dream, doesn't mean that I want to give up on us. You are my dream. I will support you always."

"How did you get to be so wise?" she asked.

"Well, I am 21 now. I have matured. Speaking of which, I missed your birthday," he said. He took a box out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Happy Birthday, Granger, I mean, Hermione."

She smiled and unwrapped the present. There was her locket, the one he got her last Christmas, now inscribed with the date of their marriage, and on the inside there was now a picture from their wedding day. She reached up to her neck.

"How did you get this? I didn't even know I wasn't wearing it," she asked, confused. She slipped it back on her neck.

"Don has been a good friend to me as well. He got it for me, just this morning," Draco said, putting his hand on her face. He leaned down and kissed her lips tenderly, then passionately. "Never leave me, for I wouldn't survive. I really hate all the dramatics. If I do something, you don't like or don't understand from now on, don't try to be noble. Don't be the bigger person. Yell at me, or tell me off. Just don't let me leave you again."

She leaned into him and he put his fingers through her hair. He continued threading his fingers through her hair, as she continued holding onto his waist. Neither of them wanted to leave the other, or that moment behind.

"So, where exactly is this little house?" Hermione asked.

"First, it's not really little. It is quite large, with five bedrooms and three baths. Do you recall that large Tudor house, on the hill, right before you reach the village? Well, that is our new home."

"I love that house, although it's too large for just the two of us," she said.

"We will just have to fill it up with a large family then, won't we? Moreover, I have it on good authority that both sets of our parents will be visiting often. Our mothers have already begun to decorate the damn place." He touched her cheek once more, and drew a light trail down her cheek, to her neck, down her shoulder, and he held her hand.

"Let's go start on that large family, Malfoy," she smiled.

"Don't play with my emotions, you wicked witch," he laughed. "If you mean to make love to me, then you better be sincere." He started up the stairs. She lagged behind. "What? It was your idea. You want to renege already. That is not very gracious."

She smiled at him and said, "That's not it, it's just, well, I have something to tell you first."

"What is it?" he asked, walking down a few steps, so he was standing slightly below her.

"I want you to know that I will never, ever, leave you again, if you promise the same. I cannot go through a lifetime mourning you, or being afraid that we will not be together. When I think of how Helga and Salazar withheld information from the other, each doing things in secret, thinking they were doing what was best for the other, well, it makes me realize that I don't want to withhold anything from you. I want us to be honest, but I also don't want us to ever part."

Draco agreed. He said, "They hid things from the other, assuming each knew what was best. We won't do that, will we? I don't want a life that doesn't have you in it. I don't want to mourn you or our relationship for a thousand years." He kissed her again, and then said, "Last one upstairs is a rotten egg!" He ran up the stairs, leaving Hermione behind.

She climbed the stairs and said, "I don't mind being a rotten egg." She climbed the stairs slowly, and walked toward the guestroom. He was waiting for her at the door.

"There's my little one, now. I love you, Hermione." He bent his head and kissed her full on the mouth. "Don't leave me again. Do not ignore me. Do not disregard my feelings. I love you, and will for all of time." He kissed her again.

"I love you, too. I won't leave you, or disregard your feelings, or ever ignore you again, if you promise me something," she said, bashfully.

"Whatever you want, it is yours," he said.

She bit her bottom lip and said, "Don't ever buy a house without my knowledge, again. I think that was rude." She walked past him and sat on the bed.

He walked in the room and said, "Coming from the queen of rude, you should know." He shut the door behind him. They were back, to what was familiar, what was right, and that was how it should have been.

THE END

_(A/N: The Third story in this series, "A Familiar Place III, A Future Untold" is being written right now. I hope everyone will give it a read! Thanks!)_


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